“Hakeem Jeffries will have the largest House majority in decades next year, and he’s gearing up to use it,” Semafor reports.

“House Democrats’ initial plans involve voting to repeal cuts to Medicaid enacted in Republicans’ megabill, restore lapsed healthcare subsidies, end the Iran war, and sunset tariffs. He and Democratic leaders plan to talk as a caucus about plans to tackle AI and other issues.”

“The larger-than-expected House majority along with control of the Senate opens more legislative options for Democrats — though President Donald Trump still has veto power.”

CNN: Democrats debate what to do with their midterm mandate.

Punchbowl News: “We spoke to Hakeem Jeffries Wednesday, the day after Democrats romped to the House majority. We wanted to hear about his plans for legislating and changes he wants to make to the institution.”

”There are a few things you need to understand about Jeffries at this moment.”

”First of all, as of late Wednesday, he still hadn’t spoken to President Donald Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, or anyone in the White House or House GOP leadership.”

”Trump said Wednesday that Democrats were calling him, asking to make deals. That apparently doesn’t include Jeffries, who, with at least a 255-seat majority heading into the next Congress, is instantly in the driver’s seat in any power battle against Trump.”

“House Republican leadership races after the party’s catastrophic losses are shaping up to be a battle between the old versus new guard,” Politico reports.

“Party elections are set for Tuesday morning and will test how closely GOP members — angry over Republicans’ deep defeats and eager to chart a different course — tie their existing leadership team to the thrashing.”

MS NOW: House Republicans are already having a leadership fight — but are avoiding a reckoning.

“This time last week, the progressive and moderate wings of the House Democratic Caucus were gearing up to battle for influence in what they thought might be a slim governing majority. After surpassing expectations to win as many as 260 seats Tuesday night, members are showing signs of detente,” Politico reports.

“The results of the blowout midterm elections mean that House Democrats’ major ideological contingents will all swell in the next Congress. The centrist New Democrat Coalition is projecting at least 140 members, with the even more moderate Blue Dog Coalition grow to more than 20. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, meanwhile, is expected to have more than 100 members, six of whom identify as democratic socialists.”

“The prospect of having a 30-vote-minimum margin to pass legislation means no one group will come to the table with an obvious edge that would handcuff the likely incoming speaker, Hakeem Jeffries.”

For members: A Bigger Majority, a Different Headache

“President Trump said he won’t play a role in who Congressional Republicans select as the new minority leader after Tuesday’s midterm losses,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

Said Trump: “We’ll stay out of it.”

“Speaker Mike Johnson told his staff today on a call that he does not plan to run for minority leader and will step aside, according to two sources familiar with the matter,” the Washington Sun reports.

It seems highly unlikely he’ll remain in Congress either.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is expected to announce his candidacy for House minority leader this morning, Punchbowl News reports.

Jordan, a 19-year veteran of the House, ran for speaker in 2023 and lost.

“Lawyer up.”

— Incoming House Oversight Chair Robert Garcia (D-CA), on X, 

“Trump has an unhealthy and creepy obsession with me. I represent everything Trump and today’s Republican Party seem to despise. I’m a woman, an immigrant, a refugee, a Muslim woman who wears a hijab, and someone who refuses to be intimidated into silence.”

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), quoted by The Nation.