New law shapes battle for House control in midterms

WASHINGTON — Debate over United States President Donald Trump's sweeping budget-and-policy package is over on Capitol Hill. Now the argument goes national.

From the Central Valley of California to Midwestern battlegrounds and suburban districts of the northeast, the new law is already shaping the 2026 midterm battle for control of the House of Representatives. The outcome will set the tone for Trump's final two years in the Oval Office.

Democrats need a net gain of three House seats to break the GOP's chokehold on Washington and reestablish a power center to counter Trump. There is added pressure to flip the House given that midterm Senate contests are concentrated in Republican-leaning states — making it harder for Democrats to reclaim that chamber.