January 5, 2026
From The Washington Post:
Democrats are celebrating signs that the tide is turning their way for the 2026 midterms. But translating dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump into an electoral tsunami, or even a wave election, will be much harder to achieve than in years past.
History, polling, a narrow Republican majority, a string of off-year victories and voter anxiety over the economy favor the Democrats, who lead in support for control of Congress by five percentage points in a Post average of November and December national polls.
But the battlefield in the House is smaller than ever, according to political analysts, experts and operatives, meaning Democrats will need to compete in districts that Trump won by large margins to pick up a significant number of seats.
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Washington), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in an interview that many candidates competing in Trump districts are closely connected to their communities and “independent-minded.”
“Authenticity matters a ton because you’re talking to folks across the political spectrum,” DelBene said.
Read the full article here.
