House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) greets volunteers during an election night event in Washington, DC, November 3, 2026. After Democrats’ victories on Tuesday, Jeffries is on track to become the next Speaker of the House.
Tom Brenner/Getty Images
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Tom Brenner/Getty Images
In forceful remarks to supporters, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said his party will bring “transformational change” when it takes control of Congress after voters fueled a blue wave that will upend President Trump’s second term and the Republican Party’s agenda.
Jeffries, who is now poised to become the first Black House speaker in history, argued that voters have sent Republican-led Washington a clear message that they are done with political extremism and corruption. He opened his speech to supporters in Washington, D.C., by saying that “America is back” and that he anticipates Democrats will act as soon as they take control in January, with a focus on affordability.
The New York Democrat said he plans to include efforts to improve access to affordable housing, education, health care and retirement benefits.
“We are going to fight to ensure that this country is affordable for every American,” Jeffries said. “This is an election for change. And we understand that as House Democrats, we need to make dramatic change. Things are broken. We need a Congress that puts the American people first.”
The results of Tuesday’s midterm elections will bring an end to a Republican-controlled Washington fueled by voter anger over President Trump’s handling of the economy, the war in Iran and the higher cost of living. The newly divided capital means Trump will no longer be able to rely on a Republican-led Congress that allowed him to set the agenda. Instead, Democratic victories will accelerate Trump’s lame duck status.
However, Democrats will face an uphill battle implementing many of their most ambitious plans. For example, they will likely clash with Trump, who retains his veto power over legislation, when it comes to legislative efforts to address affordability issues.
In remarks acknowledging Tuesday’s election results, House Speaker Mike Johnson told supporters in Shreveport, Louisiana, that the “great experiment” in democracy is not controlled by a king or monarch. Johnson said he “left everything on the ground” to try to retain control of the lower house, but the odds were against him.
“From day one of this election, we knew that to retain the House and maintain our majority, we had to defy more than a century of midterm history,” Johnson said. “It’s very, very difficult to overcome and it looks like history will be preserved tonight.”
Jeffries said Democrats had to overcome a significant financial deficit as Republicans outspent his party in elections across the country. He also said voters sent a message to Washington that they are not for sale, and that Democrats will also work to implement their plans to root out corruption.
“We are going to hold to account those who have been responsible for unprecedented corruption in this country,” Jeffries said. “Because if you have people in high office who are so focused on enriching themselves, their family members, their friends or their donors, then they’re not focused on improving the lives of the American people.”
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