After midterm triumph, Democrats chart next two years: healthcare and tariffs — but not impeachment

After a sweeping victory in the United States midterm elections, Democratic leaders have laid out what they plan to do over the next two years. The party, which spent nearly two years attacking Donald Trump over 'costs, chaos and corruption', now signals an aggressive programme of investigation and lawmaking from its strengthened position in Congress.

In Tuesday's election, Democrats won major victories in the House and the Senate. Party leaders say the win gives them potent leverage over Trump. The question now is how they will use it.

Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters on Wednesday that Democrats would pass bold legislation off the floor of the House and the Senate every single week. He named bans on price gouging, Super Pacs and stock trading by lawmakers as priorities.

Casar said that if Trump vetoes those bills, that would become the platform on which Democratic candidates run in the 2028 presidential election — and the bills could then be signed into law in 2029.

The result is being described as the biggest midterm defeat for an incumbent party in more than 50 years. Republicans lost Senate seats they had held for decades, and House seats drawn specifically to elect only Republicans.

But the power Democrats have gained is not unlimited. Trump will remain in the White House until January 2029 and can veto bills that do not pass with overwhelming support. The Senate filibuster also remains in place, so Republicans can block any incoming Democratic legislation that does not have 60 votes.

Ballot counting is still ongoing. If their candidates win the two outstanding Senate races, Democrats and their allies will hold 56 seats.

Hakeem Jeffries is set to become speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes. He said the party promised the country it would fight for an affordable America, and it intends to keep that promise.

Jeffries named as priorities reinstating premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act health plans, undoing the cuts to the Medicaid programme that Republicans approved last year, legislative action to make Trump undo his tariffs, and ending the conflict with Iran.

Chuck Schumer, expected to become the next Senate majority leader, said everything the party does maps onto three promises: lower costs, make the government work for people, and clean up corruption.

One thing does not appear to be on the agenda — impeaching Trump for a third time. During his first term, Senate Republicans rescued the president after two impeachments. Jeffries said not a single member of the House Democratic Caucus had raised impeachment with him.

He said: 'We have been relentlessly focused on affordability and on accountability.' On accountability, the report notes, Democrats have no shortage of ideas for investigations.

Party leaders acknowledge that the Democratic brand remains deeply unpopular. But they believe the election victory gives their eventual presidential nominee strong material to campaign on ahead of the 2028 election.