House Democrats began staking out leadership posts and an investigative agenda this week, days after Tuesday's midterm elections handed them the chamber by flipping more than two dozen Republican-held seats.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries formally asked his caucus Wednesday to make him speaker. His opening priorities: undo the Medicaid and SNAP cuts in President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, revive the lapsed Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, bring the war with Iran to a close and pull back Trump's tariffs. The full House votes on a speaker in early January, and Jeffries is widely expected to win.
So far 43 districts have moved into the Democratic column and two into the Republican one, with dozens of races still uncalled. Democrats are on pace for roughly 256 seats, up from the 214 they hold now.
Oversight targets
California Rep. Robert Garcia, in line to chair the House Oversight Committee, named four lines of inquiry: the Trump family's business dealings, corporate corruption, the conduct of ICE and the Homeland Security Department, and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Garcia said Stephen Miller, Corey Lewandowski, Kristi Noem and members of the Trump family could be asked to testify. He conceded that Trump's Justice Department is unlikely to punish anyone who refuses, but said a Democratic majority could sue on the House's behalf and pursue contempt, including a civil route through the courts.
I think folks that need to be concerned first are administration officials that have caused real harm. We're going to investigate the abuses
Robert Garcia, incoming House Oversight Committee chairman
White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said the president is willing to work with anyone, but warned that Democrats who chase what she called sham investigations would be acting against the American people.
Leadership contests
Below Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark is running for majority leader, a post no woman has held. Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar wants to become majority whip.
Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse is seeking assistant speaker, while California Rep. Ted Lieu is running for caucus chair, setting up possible friction over which post ranks fourth in the majority.
Republican fallout
Republicans face their own contest. Indiana Rep. Erin Houchin is taking on Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain for the conference chair job, and McClain has published a list of 35 colleagues supporting her.
The defeat reached the GOP's campaign operation: Rep. Richard Hudson, who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, conceded to Democrat Richard Ojeda in North Carolina's 9th District after winning by 18.5 points in 2024.
The party's mid-decade redistricting push, which started when Trump directed Texas lawmakers to carve out up to five more GOP seats, largely failed. Its lone redistricting gain in Texas came in the 32nd District, won by Jace Yarbrough.
Other Republican losses included Rep. Mike Lawler, beaten by Cait Conley in New York's Hudson Valley, and Rep. Mike Turner, who had held Ohio's 10th District since 2003. In Montana, Democrat Sam Forstag's win gives the party a House seat there for the first time in more than 30 years.
