We are living in a never-before-seen political time, far more constitutionally dangerous than Watergate. President Trump has made unprecedented attacks on democracy, the Constitution and citizens’ rights, all with the support of a Republican Congress also sworn to protect the Constitution.
As Democratic candidates campaign for the November elections, they should make clear that, if they win back the House, impeaching Trump will be part of their agenda. In doing this, they should connect Trump’s growing unpopularity to their Republican congressional opponents’ support for the president and his policies. Republicans still control both chambers of Congress: the House stands at 217 Republicans, 214 Democrats, one independent and three vacancies, while the Senate stands at 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents who caucus with Democrats.
That Republican congressional support has included Trump’s tariffs and his unilateral war against Iran. On Dec. 11, 2025, the House voted 237-140, with 47 members voting present, to table articles of impeachment against Trump. On March 18, 2026, the Senate rejected a war-powers resolution aimed at limiting Trump’s authority to continue military action against Iran by a 53-47 vote. As long as Republicans control Congress, they remain Trump’s shield.
I am aware of the truism that “it’s the economy, stupid.” Affordability wins elections. However, this November, Trump — along with the congressional candidates who continue to support him — will also be on voters’ minds because of how he and his policies are affecting them. Reuters/Ipsos found that cost of living is the top issue likely to influence votes this November, while Trump’s approval on the cost of living has fallen to 29% and his approval on the broader economy to 35%.
The polls also support the idea that Democratic candidates should focus both on affordability and on Trump’s outrageous, anti-constitutional behavior — that they should “walk and chew gum” at the same time. Trump’s tariff policies are already widely seen as harmful. An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 71% of Americans said his tariffs would contribute to inflation, and 64% disapproved of how he is handling tariffs. The Council on Foreign Relations, citing a January 2026 estimate, said current tariff policy would cost the average American household about $1,681 in real income.
Trump’s war in Iran is just as unpopular, with only 37% of Americans in support while 59% oppose it. And the war’s effects are not abstract. Reuters reported that gas prices had risen by nearly a dollar a gallon since late February, with 55% of Americans saying those increases were already hurting their household finances. AAA’s national average has risen to roughly $3.98 a gallon, while California’s average has climbed to about $5.82.
Even on immigration, where Trump has long claimed political strength, the numbers are moving away from him. Last February, 65% of voters, up from 54% last June, said ICE had gone too far in enforcing immigration laws. March polling showed Trump’s overall approval sinking below 40%. Economist/YouGov found him at 38% approval and 59% disapproval, with only 26% of independents approving. In other words, voters not only dislike his policies but increasingly dislike him as well.
Trump, of course, was impeached twice during his first term by a Democratic-controlled House and acquitted twice by a Republican-controlled Senate, which shows the importance of reversing control of at least one chamber. For impeachment to occur again, Democrats need only a House majority. Conviction and removal in the Senate would require a two-thirds vote, not merely a bare majority. That does not make impeachment irrelevant. It makes winning the House, opening investigations and forcing accountability all the more important.
Connecting Trump and Republican congressional candidates to rising prices, to the fallout from the Iran war, and to Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional actions is not difficult. It simply means making the campaign about what voters are already living through. Democrats do not have to choose between affordability and accountability. They can, and should, do both.
Moreover, an example that 2026 Democratic candidates can indeed “walk and chew gum” at the same time can be seen in the campaign of Rep. Salud Carbajal to retain California’s 24th District. Carbajal, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, has been a vocal critic of Trump’s Iran war, saying Trump broke his promise to end foreign wars and stressing that Americans want solutions to the cost of living crisis, not another reckless Middle East war. He has also directly connected the strain on families and small businesses to Trump’s trade policies and recently completed a Central Coast “Affordability Tour” focused on how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting local residents.
That should be the model. Democratic candidates should argue that Trump’s conduct is not just offensive, reckless and unpopular. It is impeachable. And if voters hand Democrats the House this November, they should say so plainly now: impeachment should be part of the 2026 campaign.
