House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries declares "America is back"

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) greets volunteers during an election night watch party in Washington, DC on Nov. 3, 2026. After Tuesday's victories by Democrats, Jeffries is on track to become the next Speaker of the House. Tom Brenner/Getty Images hide caption

Tom Brenner/Getty Images

In energized remarks before supporters, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said his party will deliver "transformational change" when they take control of Congress after voters fueled a blue wave that will upend President Trump's second term and the GOP agenda.

Jeffries, who is now poised to become the first Black House speaker in history, argued voters sent Republican-led Washington a clear message that they are done with political extremism and corruption. He opened his remarks to supporters in Washington, D.C., to say "America is back," and plans for Democrats to deliver as soon as they take control in January, with a focus on affordability.

The New York Democrat said he plans to include efforts to improve access to affordable housing, education, healthcare and retirement benefits.

"We're going to fight to make sure that we make this country affordable for every single American," Jeffries said. "This is a change election. And we understand as House Democrats we need to deliver dramatic change. Things are broken. We need a Congress that puts the American people first."

Tuesday's midterm election results will bring an end to a Republican-controlled Washington, fueled by voter anger over President Trump's handling of the economy, the Iran war and a higher cost of living. The newly divided capital means Trump will no longer be able to rely on a GOP-led Congress that let him set the agenda. Instead, the Democratic victories will accelerate Trump's lame duck status.

However, Democrats will face an uphill battle installing many of their more ambitious plans. For example, they'll likely clash with Trump, who retains his power to veto legislation, when it comes to legislative efforts to address affordability concerns.

In remarks acknowledging Tuesday's election results, House Speaker Mike Johnson told supporters in Shreveport, La., that the "grand experiment" of democracy isn't controlled by a king or a monarch. Johnson said he "left it all on the field" to try to retain control of the lower chamber but they faced unfavorable odds.

"From the first day of this election, we knew that to keep the House and sustain our majority we'd have to defy more than a century of midterm history," Johnson said. "It's very, very difficult to overcome and it looks like history will be kept tonight."

Jeffries said Democrats had to overcome a significant financial deficit as Republicans outspent his party in races across the country. He also said voters have sent a message to Washington that they are not for sale, and Democrats will also be focused on making good on their plans to ferret out corruption.

"We're going to bring accountability to those who have visited unprecedented corruption on this country," Jeffries said. "Because if you have people in high office who are so focused on enriching themselves, their family members, their friends or their donors, then they are not focused on making life better for the American people."