Democrats Have Power Again. Can They Wield It Without Screwing Up?
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on the day after the midterm elections.
Photographer: Mike Theiler/Reuters
In 2019, Democrats will have something they sorely lacked during the first two years of Donald Trump’s presidency: power. Controlling the House of Representatives gives them oversight and the ability to subpoena to investigate the president. But it also poses a dilemma certain to divide the party: How aggressively should they wield that power in going after Trump?
A quick lurch toward impeachment could undermine the claims of Democratic candidates who pledged to forgo vindictiveness and govern responsibly. But failing to forcefully challenge Trump risks demoralizing the activists and first-time voters who gave them their majority. How the party manages its twin mandates will determine whether Democrats are able to make further gains in Congress in 2020—and achieve their ultimate goal of deposing Trump.