U.S. Midterm Elections: Democrats Seek House Control as Hakeem Jeffries Threatens Impeachment

House and Senate up

The United States is set to hold midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3, with nearly 250 million voters choosing representatives as all 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up for grabs.

The BFM account says Republicans hold only a slim 219-seat majority to 214 for the Democrats in the House, and it adds that Decision Desk HQ rated Democrats’ chances of retaking the majority at 80% on October 28.

The same BFM account quotes House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries saying, “We are on the cusp of regaining control of the House,” and it says Jeffries threatened impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if Donald Trump did not dismiss him.

The Cadena SER account frames the House race as a national polling picture where Democrats have an average lead of 8.4 points over Republicans, and it says Polymarket puts a 94% probability on Democrats taking the House.

The Cadena SER account also describes the Senate math as requiring Democrats to flip four seats from Republicans to reach a majority with 51 Senators, since with a 50-50 tie Vice President, J.D. Vance, would break the tie.

Reporting for this sectionBFMCadena SER

Jeffries, Hegseth, and rifts

Hakeem Jeffries told CNN in the BFM account that the odds of a Democratic victory were “very likely,” and the same account says Jeffries vowed in September to “hold crooks accountable.” The BFM account says Jeffries threatened impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, promising to “take care of his case” if Donald Trump did not dismiss him. The lanouvellerepublique.fr account says Donald Trump was in Iowa on Sunday, November 1, repeating to the crowd, “We’re going to win,” as his speech was repeatedly interrupted by protesters.

The lanouvellerepublique.fr account reports that Raphael Warnock told CNN, “I’m nervous but optimistic,” and it urges voters to “impose limits on this president who is literally plundering our country and selling it off piece by piece.” The EL PAÍS account describes a Democratic rift in Michigan as Haley Stevens announced support for Republican Mike Rogers two days before the election, and it quotes Mamdani saying, “The question is whether one wants to fight for the working class.”

Reporting for this sectionBFMEL PAÍS

What a Democratic win changes

France 24 says a Democratic majority in Congress could give Democrats chairmanship of all parliamentary committees in the House and unilateral power to issue subpoenas to compel government officials, political allies, or close associates of Donald Trump to testify under oath and to provide documents. France 24 adds that Democrats could draft and vote articles of impeachment, and it says Hakeem Jeffries prioritizes a proceeding against Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense. France 24 also says a Democratic Senate majority could block, delay, or reject Donald Trump’s nominations to the presidential cabinet, the leadership of federal agencies including the FBI, the CIA, or ICE, and Supreme Court justices.

The Economic Times account says a Democratic win would not automatically end Trump’s policies because he retains authority over diplomacy, military operations, immigration and trade matters and can veto legislation passed by lawmakers. The Economic Times account also ties the stakes to tariffs and trade, saying the February 2026 framework had brought down the punitive American tariff on most Indian goods from 50% to 18%, while it notes that a Democratic-controlled Congress could increase scrutiny of Trump’s tariff strategy.

Reporting for this sectionFrance 24The Economic Times