Inside (the Beltway) Scoop

By: Ellen Kuo
Thursday, November 12, 2026
Democratic Wave Sweeps House and Senate

On January 3, 2027, the 120th Congress will convene, but significant decisions about congressional leadership, committee assignments, and legislative priorities will be made in the weeks leading up to its opening. The November 3 elections included all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats, producing a major shift in the balance of power in Washington.

As of November 12, Democrats had flipped the House of Representatives, with 255 seats compared with 168 held by Republicans. With only 218 seats needed for a majority, Democrats secured a substantial victory. Current House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become the first Black Speaker of the House. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson is unlikely to seek the House Minority Leader role next year, leaving an opening for Republican leadership. Potential contenders include current House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH). Republicans are facing questions about their leadership and strategy following the loss of their majority. Representative Zoe Lofgren is running for Chair of House Science and see is focused on AI, quantum, and fusion energy, and has been a strong supporter of the U.S. research ecosystem to make it the envy of the world by bringing back trust with our global allies.

With control of the House, Democrats are expected to prioritize reversing reductions in Affordable Care Act subsidies, increasing congressional oversight of the administration, addressing immigration policy, and revisiting tariff policy. The change in party control will also bring new committee chairs, reshuffled committee membership, and different legislative priorities. Several key appropriations leaders retained their seats. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) all won re-election. Additionally, Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ) is expected to seek the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has broad jurisdiction over health policy and issues affecting the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

In the Senate, Democrats secured 55 seats, exceeding the 51 needed for a majority, while Republicans retained 44 seats. Democratic victories in traditionally Republican states, including Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas, contributed to the unexpected outcome. North Carolina, Iowa, and Ohio were also among the states where Democrats prevailed. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is expected to become Senate Majority Leader. Following the results, Schumer declared, “Against all odds, we Democrats have won the Senate, and we have five words for the American people: Relief is on the way.” Senator John Thune has said he will run for minority leader next year.

As of November 4, the Alaska Senate race remained uncalled and could take weeks to resolve. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) won re-election. However, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) lost her reelection bid to Troy Jackson, with Jackson receiving 53.8 percent of the vote compared with Collins's 46.1 percent. Collins's departure next year represents the loss of an important congressional champion for biomedical research, particularly her support for Alzheimer's and diabetes research and her opposition to rescissions and changes to federal uniform guidance.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is also expected to undergo a leadership change. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is a likely candidate to chair the committee, bringing a strong focus on expanding medical research and bringing down prescription drug prices with the use of taxpayer-funded research. These potential leadership changes will be important for organizations engaged in biomedical research advocacy, particularly those working on NIH funding, research commercialization, drug pricing, and federal research policy.

Despite the Democratic victories, President Trump will retain significant influence over the legislative process through his veto authority. Overriding a presidential veto requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers. Senate Democrats will also have greater influence over the confirmation of presidential nominees and the ability to conduct investigations and issue subpoenas through their committee majorities. Congressional Democrats are likely to use their new majority to conduct oversight of the administration and advance priorities that could shape the political landscape ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Although impeachment could become part of the political discussion, removal from office would require 67 Senate votes for conviction.

The weeks following the election will bring considerable activity to Capitol Hill as both parties organize for the 120th Congress. Party conferences will elect their leadership teams, establish legislative priorities, and approve committee assignments. The change in party control of the House and Senate will result in new committee chairs, changes in committee ratios, and a redistribution of influence across the legislative process.

For advocates, this transition will require a renewed focus on relationship-building, education, and messaging. Organizations will need to identify incoming committee leaders, new members, and key staff who will influence their policy priorities. In particular, biomedical research advocates will need to assess how changes in leadership on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, and the House Energy and Commerce and Senate HELP Committees could affect federal research funding and broader federal research policy.

The transition will also affect congressional offices and their staff. Members who have been re-elected will make decisions about retaining or replacing staff, while employees in offices of retiring or defeated members will need to seek positions elsewhere. Staff who have worked for the majority party may also consider opportunities outside organizations. Newly elected members will travel to Washington for orientation, begin establishing their offices, and recruit staff. Office assignments will also take place as departing members clear their offices and incoming members prepare to assume their responsibilities.

Experienced congressional members and staff are particularly important to advocacy organizations because they provide institutional knowledge, established relationships, and an understanding of the legislative process. Their departure can create gaps in expertise and require advocates to rebuild relationships and educate new decisionmakers. The retirement of Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD), both longstanding supporters of NIH and biomedical research, represents the loss of two influential congressional champions.

In the immediate term, advocates will need to balance two competing priorities. First, they should work to advance as much pending legislation and policy as possible before the 119th Congress adjourns. Legislation that does not pass before the end of the Congress will need to be reintroduced in the 120th Congress, potentially requiring organizations to rebuild bipartisan support and reconsider their legislative strategies. Second, advocates must begin preparing for the new congressional landscape by identifying incoming leaders, educating new members and staff, and refining their messages to reflect the priorities of the incoming majorities.