Nov. 3 midterm elections set the country on fire as a blue wave of democratic leadership rose to the forefront in various states and, most notably, full control of the House and Senate.
Republicans and many others see this latest move as a major rebuke of the current administration’s numerous legislative moves, such as an uptick in ICE deportations, the defunding of various programs that help women’s reproductive health and the HIV program funding, and also the rising costs of healthcare premiums through the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’
The blue wave was fueled heavily by historic wins in traditional Republican states such as Kansas and Texas. Democrats flipped enough seats to secure majorities in both the House and the Senate.
During a Capitol Hill news conference on Nov. 4, House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said, “It simply wasn’t a blue wave. It was an American tsunami.” He continued, “ The American people have spoken and made clear they’ve had enough of the extremism, enough of the corruption. They want a Congress that’s going to deliver for the American people, and that is exactly what House Democrats will do as soon as we get into office in January.”
Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) (D-N.Y.) said that the feeling of the blue wave was reminiscent of when Barack Obama, in 2008, became America’s first Black president while also showing support for Gen Z’s voter turnout. 66 percent of people 18 to 29 years old voted for a Democratic candidate in House races, while 31 percent voted Republican.
AOC said the following in an Instagram video, “A note to Gen Z. If you want to understand what you all call Millennial cringe, this earnestness… Imagine all the seats we flipped last night. That feeling, plus, on top of it, electing the first Black president ever. And on top of that, you did it the first time you ever voted… That hits generationally.”
Meanwhile, after the midterm elections, social media went into a frenzy; multiple activists and constituents called for replacing House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, as he is running to become Speaker of the House, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is running to become Senate Majority Leader. So far, Jeffries is the only Democratic contender who has formally launched his bid for the speakership, even as incoming progressives refuse to commit to him.
Activists and constituents are actively lobbying lawmakers to find an alternative candidate. They are urging Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jamie Jaskin (D-Md.), whom critics frequently urge, to run for Speaker.
Jeffries’ backlash is sparked by activists and constituents alleging that he is merely in bed with large corporations and is focused on maintaining his career and receiving AIPAC funding. He also sparked fury and accusations of a lack of transparency across social media platforms when he was found to have held a private meeting in August with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.
A viral petition launched on Change.org by Nicole Whitted demanding that Democrats reject Jeffries has now surpassed 1 million signatures, with high-profile actors such as Mark Ruffalo and Laverne Cox amplifying activists’ and constituents’ concerns on their platforms.
Schumer faces a similar predicament, as activists and constituents are even making phone calls to their representatives to have him and Jeffries replaced. In addition, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elissa Slotkin, and at least six incoming Democratic senators such as Abdul El-Sayed (Mich.), Peggy Flanagan (Minn.) and Troy Jackson (Maine) have publicly announced they will vote against him for Majority Leader.
Following their sweeping midterm losses, House Republicans voted on Nov. 10 to elect Representative Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to lead their conference in the incoming Congress. In the reshuffle, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) was chosen as minority whip, and Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) was elected as GOP conference chair. This transition marks a sharp shift in the party’s strategy ahead of the new term.
Also on Nov. 10, Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) won reelection to serve another term as the Senate Republican leader. Earlier that day, Senate Republicans temporarily suspended their leadership elections after some members called for a pause to reassess the party’s direction in light of last week’s historic losses.
Amid division within the incoming Senate Democratic majority, Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and newly elected Senator Elissa Slotkin (D. Mich.) both announced on Nov. 10 that they will not support Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) as leader of the incoming majority. Sanders publicly criticized Schumer, stating he has not done enough to address income and wealth inequality.
Representative Thomas Massie (R- Ky.) introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Massie accused Hegseth of igniting war against Iran without proper congressional authorization. During a Pentagon press conference on Nov. 10, Hegseth called the effort a “stunt,” saying he is not worried about the upcoming procedural vote in the House. Eight charges were introduced to support the call for Hegseth’s impeachment. Massie also sought to address and remove Hegseth due to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Rep. Massie said the following in an official House press release, “By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable.”
He continued, “Secretary Hegseth’s constitutional violations extend beyond the illegal war in Iran. He is abusing the power of his office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders, and to intimidate critics of the Trump administration by retaliating against them for exercising free speech. If we are to remain true to our oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States,’ the House of Representatives must act.”
“I stand behind every one of these operations. I was proud to execute them, and I would do it again tomorrow,’ Hegseth said in an official press release from the Department of Defense. “What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight, and it’s not accountability. It’s a political spectacle, a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment.”
Hegseth did not address Massie’s main reasoning: that Hegseth essentially ignored the 1973 War Powers Resolution by illegally deploying U.S. military forces to war. He instead compared his calls for impeachment to the situation that Donald Trump is going through, with others calling for his impeachment.
“They will fail again, and if standing with President Trump puts me in that company, I’ll take that company every day of the week,” said Hegseth.
The impeachment effort was dismantled when the House settled on a 211 -204 vote.
