Democratic leaders on Wednesday celebrated their big election day victories with vows to solve the nation’s affordability crisis, largely symbolized by high gas and grocery prices and the accompanying widespread voter rejection of Republican candidates. Several Democrats, including likely next speaker of the House Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, said they were focused on bringing down prices and curbing inflation amid an expensive eight-month war with Iran initiated by the Trump administration. “We ran on affordability, we won on affordability and now it is our job to govern on affordability,” said Jeffries, who announced his candidacy for speaker on Wednesday.
Political experts said the Democrats, who won control of the House and Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, face a tricky path to accomplishing their goals when the power shifts in January. The obstacles include a volatile President Trump, who has largely side-stepped Congress in starting the conflict with Iran and alienating allies, among other issues, some experts said. Christopher Bosso, professor emeritus of public policy and political science at Northeastern University, said a big part of the challenge faced by Democrats will be trying to work around Trump’s presidential power.
