White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles points as she exits US Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso's (R-WY) office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., US, September 28, 2026.
The excitement is palpable. Texas! Kansas! North Carolina! South Carolina! (As I write this, Democrat Scott Colom is leading Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi!)
Democrats will control both chambers of Congress by a comfortable margin next year.
What does this mean, as a practical matter? More specifically, what’s the most important thing the Democrats should seek to achieve?
Even with full control of Congress, it won’t be easy. Trump will remain in the White House. He’s likely to veto whatever the Democrats try to do and ignore whatever they say. He and his Cabinet officers won’t willingly testify before congressional committees investigating the regime’s actions, pleading executive privilege.
I’ve asked a number of political advisors, Trump watchers, congressional staff, and Democratic insiders what they think the Democrats’ #1 priority should be next year, and grouped their responses below. Please have a look, and indicate which you agree with (or add your thoughts in the comments).
1. Impeach and convict Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors
They tried this twice to no avail, of course. But starting in January, Democrats will have a majority in the House and enough votes in the Senate to bring them within striking distance of being able to convict Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors. Those who believe this should be the Democrats’ top priority tell me that it’s all about accountability, and Trump has violated the law and the Constitution with such impunity that to preserve the integrity of our system he must be held responsible.
2. Reform our broken system of campaign finance
Others think that the top priority should be campaign finance reform — putting an end to the legalized bribery in of billions of dollars of campaign contributions. One way of doing this would be to provide public matching funds for small-dollar donations to candidates for the House, Senate, and presidency. Another would be a constitutional amendment making clear, contrary to the Supreme Court’s rulings, that money is not speech and corporations are not people.
3. Enact a wealth tax on billionaires
Others believe the top priority should be a tax on billionaire wealth. The failure of billionaires to pay their fair share makes a mockery of our tax system. Most billionaires borrow against their fortunes to pay their lavish living expenses, so have no earned income to declare. California’s billionaire tax failed because of concerns that the state’s billionaires would exit California, so a national wealth tax is necessary and logical. If Trump vetoes it Democrats would have the issue for the 2028 election.
3. Enact Medicare for All
A final view I’m hearing is that the Democrats’ top priority should be Medicare for All — a single-payer system open to everyone. Trump and the Republicans have ended Obamacare subsidies and cut Medicaid, leaving even more Americans uninsured. Americans now pay more (20 percent of GDP) for a healthcare system that delivers shorter lifespans than in most other rich countries. Many of the Democrats elected this week advocated Medicare for All, and want to see it enacted. (Again, if Trump vetoes, a natural issue for the 2028 election.)
What do you think? Which of these — or something else — ought to be the Democrats’ top priority when they take control of Congress in January?
Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/.
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