Political Wire

House Democrats Look for a Lawyer to Take On Trump

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“It may be the most important decision Hakeem Jeffries makes when, as expected, he takes the speaker’s gavel in January and ignites a long-awaited constitutional clash with President Donald Trump: the selection of the House’s top lawyer,” Politico reports.

“The House general counsel will be the muscle behind the chamber’s legal strategy to shatter Trump’s anticipated stonewalling, its gatekeeper to ensure only winnable fights end up in court, and its shield against a Justice Department that has already tried and failed to indict several Democratic members. And if the House pursues a third impeachment against Trump, its lawyer will be tasked with leading the chamber into the rarely litigated breach.”

Republican Lawmakers Follow Trump’s Lead

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“Congressional Republicans are again following Donald Trump’s lead: Fresh off a political catastrophe, they’re going even harder in the same direction,” Bloomberg reports.

“Two votes on Tuesday showed it, as House Republicans made their first big decisions since the election that sparked so much soul-searching.”

“First, the House GOP elected a political brawler to be the new face of Republicans in the lower chamber, Representative Jim Jordan. Then it rallied behind embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to block his impeachment.”

For members: A Lame Duck With a Firm Grip on the GOP

Bonus Quote of the Day

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“The potential for extortion is so tremendous that something as sensitive as Nvidia chips, I just think he’s got to go. If the worst thing he did in real life is infidelity with this woman who may or may not be a Chinese spy — but she might be — that’s enough, because whatever else there is, we don’t know. And to me, that’s a security risk.”

— Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), quoted by Politico, on why Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang should resign.

Republicans Reckon with Iran War Funding Quagmire

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“Senate Republicans spent this week wrestling through divisions, reelecting John Thune as their leader, and pledging to confirm conservative judges while avoiding a government shutdown during their last two months in the majority,” Semafor reports.

“They still haven’t figured out how to use their greatest power in the lame duck: another big party-line bill that would send billions to the Pentagon. Such a proposal could contain other GOP priorities; Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) dubbed it the ‘last supper’ for the party’s reign.”

John Thune Vows to Maximize Lame Duck Push

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“With their leadership elections settled, Senate Republicans are gearing up to ‘maximize’ their remaining time in power before Senate Democrats take over next year,” Fox News reports.

“All eyes are again on Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) who was re-elected to another term as the Republican leader.”

Said Thune: “That means extending the calendar here, the number of days we’re here, the number of hours we’re here, the number of votes we may end up taking. But we are going to finish this legislative session strong.”

The Left’s Election Denial

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Jonathan Chait: “Bernie Sanders and his acolytes have spent the past decade insisting that Democrats would command national majorities if only they embraced his left-wing policies. After last week’s election, the movement claimed vindication…”

“In reality, the results point in the opposite direction. Almost every Democratic Senate nominee gained a higher vote share in their state than Kamala Harris did two years earlier, but the five left-wing candidates backed by Sanders accounted for the four smallest swings in contested races. The one candidate who underperformed Harris, Troy Jackson in Maine, was a Sanders-backed progressive. By the same measure, moderate Democrats in the House also outperformed progressives.”

Nancy Pelosi Opposes Push to Expel Haley Stevens

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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said “that she opposes any push to expel outgoing Michigan Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens after she flipped her Senate endorsement from her former primary rival Abdul El-Sayed to Republican Mike Rogers just before last week’s midterm elections,” the Detroit News reports.

Quote of the Day

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“We didn’t treat corruption as some abstract complaint about ethics in Washington. We told people the plain truth: that your costs are high in no small part because the powerful in this town are too busy helping themselves at your expense.”

— Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), quoted by the Boston Globe.

Three Georgians in the 2028 Presidential Spotlight

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“A blue streak of Democratic victories across the once-solidly Republican South last week scrambled the 2028 presidential race. And the shake-up could create an opening for three of Georgia’s most prominent politicians,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

“Republicans looking to reclaim lost ground across the South could turn to Gov. Brian Kemp, whose aides say is ‘seriously’ considering a White House bid built on his conservative record and a political identity not defined by President Donald Trump.”

“Democrats hoping to turn their 2026 breakthrough into something more lasting could look to U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, whose Georgia victories have made them national figures in a party anxiously searching for its next standard-bearer.”

Democrats Eye Trump’s Stakes in Companies

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“With Republicans in charge of the White House and Congress, President Donald Trump has embedded the federal government in private-sector companies’ affairs in unprecedented ways. That could change once Trump’s Democratic adversaries take over the House and Senate following the blue-wave midterm,” CNBC reports.

“Democrats, planning to root out alleged corruption involving Trump, his family and their business associates, have signaled they will closely scrutinize companies that have curried the president’s favor.”

Trump Envoys to Meet Putin in Moscow

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“President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner said Wednesday he and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Moscow tomorrow after trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi ended without a clear breakthrough,” CNN reports.

The Tech Right Pivots Left

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Politico: “Nowhere is that hard pivot more on display than with Alex Karp, the CEO and co-founder of secretive tech giant Palantir, which bet massively on Trump 2.0 and became an administration darling in the process.”

“Inside Palantir’s Manhattan lair, in an exclusive sitdown with Playbook, Karp — who once criticized the Democratic Party as ‘totally irresponsible’ — deployed the word ‘progressive’ eight times to describe his philosophy while acknowledging Democrats ‘absolutely’ corrected in 2026 enough to win back his support in 2028.”

Said Karp: “I’ve been a Democrat my whole life. I grew up in a far left environment. I know more about being a progressive than almost anybody on the planet, and I absolutely believe Palantir— all of our products are essentially progressive.”

Thune Survives as Senate GOP Leader

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“Senate Majority Leader John Thune once again burnished his reputation as a survivor on Tuesday, winning reelection as Senate GOP leader just a week after Republicans suffered historic losses at the ballot box,” Punchbowl News reports.

“But Thune, who beat back a push from conservatives to delay the leadership elections, was a frustrated — and at times defensive — survivor.”

“While the Senate GOP majority didn’t last, Thune somehow did. And he did so in an uncharacteristically defiant way during several hours of closed-door party meetings Tuesday, prompting some contentious back-and-forths with colleagues.”

Fox News: Senate GOP rebellion fizzles as Thune keeps power despite historic midterm massacre.

Miller’s Promotion Extinguishes Hope for Immigration Deal

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“President Donald Trump’s flirtation with a bipartisan immigration deal is running into a wall of skepticism in Washington,” Semafor reports.

“For one, Democrats scoffed at Trump’s decision to promote Stephen Miller, the architect of his hardline immigration policies, to chief of staff following the departure of Susie Wiles. There’s little indication that Miller has softened on immigration whatsoever.”

“And while Trump acknowledged in a CBS interview that his deportation policy might ‘be too tough’ and said a bipartisan deal could be ‘doable,’ many in the White House agree there’s simply far too much daylight between Trump and newly-empowered Democrats.”

NBC News: Democrats deeply skeptical Trump wants to work with them after his elevation of Stephen Miller.

Black Political Power Rises On Capitol Hill

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“A new era of Black political power is coming to Washington,” MS NOW reports.

“Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is on track to become the first Black speaker of the House. A record number of Black senators will take office in January. And the Congressional Black Caucus, which spent the past year bracing for losses, will instead begin the next Congress with more members than ever.”

“Black voters helped make it all happen, fueling Democratic gains deep into Republican territory in last week’s midterm elections. The results have set the stage for one of the most influential classes of the caucus since its founding in 1971.”

Democrats Pulled in Moderates But Can They Hold Them?

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New York Times: “Democrats had a blowout victory up and down the ballot last week, but the durability of their success is far less clear. Does their win signal a broad realignment in American politics, with voters moving in large numbers to the Democratic Party? Or is it a temporary turn away from Republicans based mostly on voters’ unhappiness with an unpopular president?”

“The runaway results had different drivers. There were Republicans who stayed home. There were Democrats who turned out in droves. And then there were people in the middle, many of whom feel politically homeless, who cast their ballots — this time — for Democrats.”

“Those last voters played a critical role in last week’s election, choosing Democratic candidates, sometimes for the first time in their lives.”

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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