SCHUMER EXPOUNDS ON DEMOCRATS' MIDTERM HOPES

'Unpopular' GOP spending-cut law would give his party more openings in Senate races. By Annie Karni

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Sen Chuck Schumer, the minority leader, says passage of President Donald Trump's domestic policy agenda had boosted Democrats' hopes of claiming the Senate majority in the 2026 midterm elections.

It handed them a winning economic message as they seek to contest an expanded map of states around the country, he said. “The three issues we're going to most campaign on: costs, jobs and health care,” Mr Schumer said in an interview at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee headquarters, across the street from the Capitol. “Those affect average people and every state.”

He argued the sweeping law to extend tax cuts and slash social safety net programmes would hurt not just those who rely on Medicaid — which will be cut by nearly $1 trillion — but by a broad swathe of Americans.

“It's going to raise insurance costs even if you don't have Medicaid,” he said. “Your electricity costs will go up by 10%. Even not poor people, it goes across the board. And it's hitting at the same time that your costs are going up because of tariffs.”

As they search for ways to connect with voters before the midterm elections, House and Senate Democrats have been poring over polling and research that shows their likely best bet is focusing on the Republicans’ cuts to health care and food assistance programmes for working people in order to help pay for tax cuts that provide the biggest benefits to the wealthy.