Democrats are facing a post-election test over how to deliver results while President Trump remains in the White House, after voters handed the party decisive majorities in both chambers of Congress.
At a summit in Denver, Democratic leaders said the midterm elections showed that Americans wanted practical action rather than what Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called “shallow litmus tests”. But the party remains divided over how far it should work with Mr Trump and whether he can be trusted to honour agreements.
Mr Shapiro, who helped Democrats win four House seats in Pennsylvania, said voters had rejected “chaos” and “corruption”. He urged congressional Democrats to concentrate on lowering costs, expanding affordable housing, protecting consumers and creating greater economic opportunity.
The governor, who has been mentioned as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, said the election had opened the way for action on competition, artificial intelligence, innovation and economic fairness. He called for a stronger “American bargain” for working families, rather than a focus on ideological disputes.
Democrats debate working with Mr Trump
Some newly elected Democrats argued that the incoming Congress should seek practical agreements with the administration. Senator-elect James Talarico of Texas, who won in a heavily Republican state, said Democrats “must” work with Mr Trump because “the American people cannot wait two years for change”.
“We should make the final two years of his presidency the most productive of any presidency in American history,” Mr Talarico said.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill was more sceptical, drawing on her experience of working with Mr Trump. “The art of the deal to Trump is, he figures out what you want. He leverages the you-know-what out of you and keeps taking, taking, taking and never delivers. He does not follow through on his commitments,” she said.
Ms Sherrill told Democrats to use the influence secured in the election rather than entering negotiations from a position of weakness. “My advice to Senator Talarico is, if Trump wants to work with us, we will lay out the agenda and he can sign it,” she said.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger also warned against assuming that concessions would lead to lasting agreements. She said Congress should pass “bill after bill after bill” that was broadly popular and send the measures to the president without pre-negotiating them.
Ms Spanberger said the strategy would allow Democrats to demonstrate what had passed both chambers, whether or not Mr Trump signed the legislation. She added that he might eventually approve some of the bills, particularly if he wanted to hold a signing ceremony.
Despite the celebratory mood in Denver, Democratic officials cautioned that the election victories did not amount to a permanent shift in voter loyalties. Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona said the party had not received “a blank check”, describing its support instead as “a short-term loan that we need to keep paying — or we will lose it”.
