US Democrats will seek to rebuild from the Senate

Subject

Senate Democrats and the post-election party.

Significance

The 115th Congress will be sworn in on January 3 and President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration will occur on January 20. After bitter internal disputes over the ideological direction of the party and the reasons for Hillary Clinton's shock election loss, the Democratic Party will have to reformulate itself in opposition to the political programme of Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress. The party also will need to resolve questions of leadership, electoral strategy and policy priorities ahead of the 2018 midterm elections and 2020 presidential election.

Impacts

• The record-low number of state-level seats held by Democrats will hinder recruitment of federal candidates with strong local credentials.
• Senate Democrats are likely to let most Trump appointees through confirmation and attack them once in office.
• Advocates of environmental and financial regulation from the party's left wing will pressure their centrist leaders.