CNN Senior Political Analyst Nia-Malika Henderson questioned on Wednesday whether a Democratic victory in the House in 2026 would matter, arguing that by then President Donald Trump would have already “dismantled” multiple federal agencies. Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York has come under fire from left-wing media figures and fellow Democrats for breaking a filibuster of the GOP-backed spending bill, with Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey calling for his replacement as Senate Democratic leader Tuesday.
During the show segment, Henderson also expressed doubts about how Democrats could even “win” a fight with Trump. “I mean, that’s the thing. How do you fight Donald Trump and win? How do you put a roadblock up to what he’s doing? Is waiting really the right strategy, right?” Henderson asked “Inside Politics” guest host Manu Raju.
“And you — you hit on this, I think, on one of your shows. You look at the Democratic brand, right? It’s taken such a hit. If you look at the numbers, what is it, like 29 percent or something have a favorable view of the party. And — and that is damaging,” Henderson continued. Polls from NBC and CNN showed that less than a third of respondents had a favorable view of the Democratic Party, while the majority expressed disapproval of the party.
“I don’t know that waiting is necessarily the right strategy. And also, so what if [Democrats] win back the House by a narrow margin in 2026, who cares?” Henderson continued. “So much is going to be done in — in the interim. The party will be sort of out to lunch. There’s so many agencies dismantled and so much damage done to America’s reputation and possibly the economy that, oh, great, you won the House.”
Since its creation by President Trump in a January 20 executive order, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has rapidly cut billions in federal spending, with its website reporting an average savings of $714.29 per taxpayer. DOGE’s mission to rein in what it calls rogue agencies—including USAID and the Social Security Administration (SSA)—has faced legal challenges with mixed outcomes. A federal judge recently blocked a memo directing agencies to dismiss thousands of probationary workers, while other courts have allowed DOGE to proceed with its initiatives.