US Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) walks on the day of the Senate Republican caucus leadership elections at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, November 10, 2026.
The Washington Sun reports newly vulnerable Republicans may be the break that create inroads to passing meaningful laws and policy through a Democratic Congress over the next two years.
After the Republican Party’s severe trouncing last week, GOP lawmakers in swing states — and newly christened swing states — are fretting about their careers. Some Republicans, who had been deep in the corner for their MAGA constituents, are now discovering that their districts are more purple than they had originally planned, which puts their re-election bid in 2028 in question.
“We’re told [veteran Democratic Sen.] Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has been pitching his caucus on a plan to take rapid-fire action on health care, affordability and other top issues from the midterm election,” said Washington Sun reporters Igor Bobic and Oriana González. “Huge, grab-all bills are out; he wants to put single, rifle-shot measures on the floor week-by-week and dare Republicans to filibuster or Donald Trump to veto.”
But key to Schumer’s plan are Republicans fearing blue tsunami aftershocks that washed their Republican fellows from their seats last Tuesday.
“Schumer’s strategy hinges on careful coordination with Hakeem Jeffries in the House, which will have to move first. And it requires peeling off at least four Republican votes, including some who are facing reelection in 2028. Which might those be? Well, Democrats just flipped seats in Kansas, South Carolina, North Carolina and Mississippi, so you can do the math,” reports The Sun.
Speaking with Sun reporters, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) sneered at Schumer’s plan to pressure GOP senators, who have proven a lock-step monolith behind President Donald Trump in the years leading up to their historic mid-term wash-out. Tillis said Schumer’s plan will never get off the ground if Democrats aren’t willing to work with Republicans to pass less partisan legislation on the floor.
“The best hope that we have to dull the edge of the 2028 election cycle is for them to continue to behave the way they sound like they have in the 10 days since the election. If they do that, we got a mandate,” Tillis told the Sun. “Politically, I think they’re at risk of doing exactly what we did the last two years.”
If Democrats fail to pressure vulnerable Republicans to be less MAGA and overcome a GOP filibuster they have other options, reports the Sun.
“Democrats would turn quickly to reconciliation, and potentially multiple reconciliation bills, to move their agenda. With Scott Colom’s win in Mississippi and Alaska trending in Mary Peltola’s direction, Democrats will have a comfortable majority to do just that,” report Bobic and González. “One thing we’re sure of? All the Senate newbies are gonna love vote-a-rama.”
