(AFP) – The Democrats who swept to victory in Tuesday’s US midterm elections will reshape the next Congress, with a record number of women in the House, several historic firsts, and commanding majorities that may test the party’s unity. Their House ranks could approach 260 lawmakers at the opening of the new session in January, up from 215, while they have secured at least 54 Senate seats, with two races unresolved.
The Senate newcomers include a Paralympic gold medalist, a logger, a Methodist pastor, and a pediatrician — an eclectic cast swept into power by Democratic victories deep in Republican territory. And in the House, at least 37 Democrats are set to represent districts Trump won in 2024, including 18 he carried by double digits — a reminder that their political interests may be very different from those of lawmakers in liberal strongholds.
– Historic firsts –
A record 108 Democratic women have secured House seats, up from 95 in the outgoing Congress, according to Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics. But the increase has been offset by Republican losses, with their number of women lawmakers falling from 30 to 17 so far. That leaves the overall number of women in the House unchanged at 125, with several contests still undecided.
New Mexico congresswoman Melanie Stansbury celebrated the Democratic milestone with a reminder of how recently women lawmakers lacked even basic facilities. “There wasn’t even a women’s bathroom off of the House Floor until 2011,” she wrote on social media. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is widely expected to become the first Black speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes on January 3.
In the Senate, Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed will be the first Muslim senator, New Hampshire’s Chris Pappas the first openly gay man, and Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan the first Native American woman. Three Black women will sit in the Senate simultaneously for the first time, with Illinois newcomer Juliana Stratton joining two already serving. A younger generation is also making itself heard. Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist who defeated a veteran Democrat in a Colorado primary, becomes the first woman of Generation Z elected to Congress.
The advances have not been uniform across Congress. At least 23 women will serve in the Senate, compared with 27 currently, and even the remaining undecided contests cannot prevent an overall decline. The number of Democratic women senators stands at 16, unchanged from the outgoing chamber.
– Big tent, big arguments –
Electoral success has enlarged both ideological wings of the House party. The centrist New Democrat Coalition is projecting more than 140 members, while the leftist Progressive Caucus expects to exceed 100 and the moderate Blue Dogs have grown to at least 22. That could put competing priorities — from universal healthcare and immigration enforcement to policy toward Israel — on a collision course. But unlike the narrow Republican majority that let a handful of dissidents derail legislation, Jeffries will have enough room to negotiate without being beholden to every faction.
The left argues that its ideas propelled the victory, pointing to Democrats who captured overwhelmingly Trump-supporting districts by appealing to more conservative voters. Many of those newcomers will face difficult reelection campaigns in 2028, giving them a powerful incentive to resist policies unpopular in their constituencies. Jeffries, whose leadership appears secure, has called for an initial focus on affordability and accountability, including reversing cuts to the Medicaid program for low-income patients and renewing health insurance subsidies.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer likewise looks set to stay despite at least five incoming senators publicly opposing him or withholding support. No challenger has emerged. Both leaders will have to reconcile pressure for sweeping change with the limits of their new power. Trump can veto legislation, while Senate Republicans can still use procedural rules to block most bills.
“Even during the most difficult times, and these two years have been among them, Americans have never lost faith that they can change this country with their vote,” Schumer said at a news conference in the wake of the election. “The onus is now on us to prove them right.”
– Frankie TAGGART
© 2024 AFP
