What Will a Democratic Congress Look Like?

After a historic election night this week, a new wave of Democrats will rush into Capitol Hill in January with control of both chambers of Congress. But what will that look like?

Democrats, both returning members and new, have already begun dropping hints about what they plan to do. From their campaign-promised affordability agenda to confronting corruption in the executive branch, the pieces are starting to fall into place.

House Minority Leader and Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who will likely seek to become House Speaker, said Democrats ran and won on affordability, so they will “govern on affordability.”

“We're looking forward, as House Democrats, to getting to work and to finding bipartisan common ground so we can solve this affordability crisis here in America," Rep. Jeffries said.

Rep. Jeffries also outlined two other major priorities for the incoming Democratic majority: accountability and American values. He said Democrats plan to investigate alleged corruption within the Trump administration, making oversight of the executive branch a key priority when they take control of Congress in January.

Are Democrats Coming for Trump?

But while Rep. Jeffries has not indicated any impeachment plans for President Donald Trump or any of his cabinet members, other House Democrats seem to be.

“Lawyer up,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) said in a statement shortly after the overwhelmingly blue election results swept across the country.

As ranking member of the House Oversight Committee and likely the incoming Chair, Rep. Garcia has emphasized the need to investigate the Trump family’s business dealings, the Epstein files, alleged immigration enforcement abuses and other forms of suspected federal corruption within federal agencies.

“While you're struggling, CEOs and companies across this country are making record profits,” Rep. Garcia said at a press conference this week.

A “Blue Tsunami” of Investigations

Before the election, outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, accusing him of violating the War Powers Resolution, conducting unauthorized military operations, extrajudicial killings and retaliating against critics for exercising their First Amendment rights.

Before the election, the impeachment articles seemed unlikely to pass with Republicans controlling both chambers, but an incoming Democratic majority and growing bipartisan frustration over the war in Iran could make an impeachment vote more viable.

“Also, my Hegseth impeachment resolution is a much gentler version of what’s coming when Dem’s control Congress,” Rep. Massie said on X. “They’ll have hearings & trials.”

Meanwhile, the House Progressive Caucus will also likely see an expansion of membership with a handful of progressive candidates entering the chamber.

Chair and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) has made it clear that he plans to push for accountability for AI companies developing increasingly powerful technology without enforceable safety standards or sufficient government oversight.

“If we allow Artificial Superintelligence to be built, it could risk the security, freedom, and lives of Americans,” Rep. Casar said after introducing a bill to ban AI superintelligence and pause its development.

Although Democrats will have control of Congress for the next two years, and the last stretch of President Donald Trump’s term, the president has made it clear that he is not worried about threats of impeachment.

“I think it would destroy the Democratic Party if they did that,” Trump told reporters the morning after Election Day. “Because impeachment for no reason. What, for having a successful country? Our country is more successful now than at any other time in its history.”