Democrats are increasingly bullish about their prospects to wrest back control of Congress in next month's midterm elections, as even some Republicans all but say they are resigned to losing control of the House and possibly the Senate. If the House or both chambers do ultimately shift hands, one of their more consequential decisions may be whether to impeach President Donald Trump for a third time—and that choice will come down to more than just math. The possibility is already dividing some Democrats who believe Trump's conduct demands constitutional accountability from those who fear impeachment would overshadow an affordability agenda, strengthen Trump politically and end in another Senate acquittal.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, has avoided committing either way. "We certainly haven't ruled anything in and we haven't ruled anything out," Jeffries told PBS in an interview late last month. Democrats, he said, would investigate potential wrongdoing, "follow the facts, apply the law, be guided by the Constitution" and "let the chips fall where they may." The question is whether impeachment would deliver meaningful accountability or consume a new majority with little chance of removing Trump from office.
A Democratic House could impeach Trump by a simple majority vote. Conviction and removal require two-thirds of senators present, making substantial Republican support almost certainly necessary regardless of November's outcome. Former Democratic Representative Joe Cunningham, who represented a Republican-leaning South Carolina district, told Newsweek that lawmakers needed to build a majority who face different pressures from colleagues in safely Democratic seats.
"Frontline members have to win over independents and, in many cases, Republicans," Cunningham said. "That cannot be done by constantly serving up partisan red meat like impeachment." He urged Democrats to address corporate practices and economic pressures making everyday life more expensive. "If Democrats initiate an impeachment process, it will consume the oxygen in Washington and overshadow virtually everything else they are trying to accomplish for Americans," he said.
Cunningham does not rule out impeachment when warranted. Serious misconduct creates a "constitutional responsibility to follow the facts wherever they lead," he said. But impeachment should not become "the centerpiece of a political strategy." "The Democratic Party needs to be known for what it is fighting for, not simply what it is fighting against." Former Obama White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is among the most prominent Democrats explicitly opposing another impeachment.
Asked on NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday whether Democrats should pursue it after retaking the House, he answered: "Short answer: No." "It's not going anywhere, and it's going to be a food fight," Emanuel said. He instead urged investigations into alleged corruption followed by a broader ethics package. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois recently offered similarly blunt advice: "Don't be impeaching anybody ...
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