Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) told reporters during a press briefing in Leesburg, Virginia on Wednesday that affordability remains the defining issue for American families and will shape the battle for control of the House in the upcoming midterm elections.
Speaking alongside Democratic leaders, DelBene stated that President Donald Trump and House Republicans have failed to deliver on their promise to lower costs. More than 400 days into Trump’s second term, she said, grocery prices remain high, utility bills are rising, and health care continues to strain household budgets.
DelBene attributed those increases to the president’s “reckless tariffs” and the “One Big Beautiful Bill” she described as prioritizing the wealthy over working families. At kitchen tables across the country, she said, paychecks are not stretching as far as they once did—a reality she argued cannot be dismissed by rhetoric from the White House.
She also criticized Republicans for enacting the largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history, asserting that the move benefited high-income earners while leaving millions facing higher health care costs or the loss of coverage. In her view, the contrast heading into November is clear: Republicans, she said, have broken their promise to lower costs, while Democrats are centered on economic relief for everyday Americans.
DelBene Expresses Confidence That Democrats Will Retake The House
DelBene framed the path to a Democratic majority as narrow but attainable. She noted that Democrats need to net just three seats to make House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) the next speaker of the House, restoring what she called a necessary check on the administration.
As chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), DelBene highlighted the party’s expanding electoral map, pointing to 44 targeted districts and the rollout of an initial slate of 12 “Red to Blue” candidates in competitive races. She said the party’s message is focused squarely on issues voters care about, particularly the cost of living, rather than Trump’s gratuitous ballroom or ego-filled renaming of the Kennedy Center.
Citing recent polling showing voter dissatisfaction with Republican handling of the economy, DelBene expressed confidence that Democrats are positioned to reclaim the House majority in the fall. If they do, she concluded, the gavels will change hands next year.
“Come next year, we will have the gavels.”
