During an interview Sunday on CBS’ Face the Nation, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) remained firm on his bold and confident declaration about the 2026 midterm elections, stating that Democrats are positioned to reclaim the House majority.
Speaking with Ed O’Keefe, Jeffries said the current administration and congressional Republicans have failed to address the rising cost of living, despite President Donald Trump’s campaign promises. He pointed to the ongoing affordability crisis and argued that the president should focus on lowering costs and improving healthcare.
“Perhaps the president should focus on making life better for the American people. Period. Full stop,” Jeffries stated.
Jeffries Expresses Confidence That Democrats Will Regain The Majority
O’Keefe then turned the conversation to the narrow margins in the House and asked Jeffries about the upcoming midterm elections, noting that Democrats would only need to net three seats to take back control. He also pointed out that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) currently views 44 districts as competitive, including several in traditionally Republican-leaning areas—such as South Central Virginia, a coastal district in South Carolina, Southern Minnesota, Central Colorado, and Western Montana.
Jeffries responded with optimism, saying that, if the election were held today, Democrats would regain the majority and that it might not be close. He argued that recent election results in deep-red areas show a broader national trend. As examples, he cited a Democratic victory in a Miami mayoral race, a flipped Texas state Senate seat, and a recent House-seat win in Louisiana—all of which he said significantly outperformed prior Republican margins.
According to Jeffries, those results demonstrate that Democrats are gaining traction in blue, purple, and red states alike because voters see them as the party focused on lowering costs, fixing the healthcare system, and ensuring fair and humane immigration enforcement.
Pressed by O’Keefe for a specific projection, Jeffries declined to offer a number, lightheartedly saying he was not in the prediction business, but in the “let’s-win-on-behalf-of-the-American-people-so-we-can-end-this-national-nightmare” business.
