Dems won big. Now what?

The Democrats will control both chambers of congress come January. But what can they actually do with that power?

Air Date: November 5, 2026

Congress Capitol building Washington D.C. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

The voters have spoken. Blue wave, tsunami, earthquake, wildfire – whatever you want to call it – Democrats won big in the midterms. But what might come of the momentum? What can the Democrats actually do now that they control both chambers of congress, but still face President Donald Trump’s veto pen?

Are there issues on which they could find common ground with the president? How will their control of the purse strings in D.C. affect the ongoing Iran war? How much energy will they or should they put into accountability hearings for Trump administration actions? And what could gains in 2026 mean if Dems secure the White House in 2028?

On this edition of Studio 2, we’ll unpack all that plus what lessons we can learn from history after seismic midterm elections.

Guests:

Hugo Lowell, senior political correspondent at WIRED.
Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and a New York Times best selling author.
Paige Cognetti, representative-elect for Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district.

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