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Good afternoon everyone. I'm Susan Delben, the chair of the DC. So excited to have you here today. Um, all cycle I have repeated over and over a very simple arithmetic problem. Um, to take back the majority, we needed to net three seats. And we hit that mark and then some. This historic victory was resounding and impressive in its depth and in its breadth. Um, we saw Democrats sweep all the competitive seats in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, California, Wisconsin, and New Jersey. I'm hopeful we can sweep the competitive seats in Arizona and Nevada, as well as more results come in. We've had winds that many outside observers and experts thought were long shots like in Kentucky, Ohio, and even one in Indiana.
Oh, and we got every single one of the Harris one seats that were held by Republicans. Even one that some said was not beatable. Well, it turns out they were. And I know there is one New Yorker here who is especially happy with that one. Um, in this election, we beat back every Republican's scheme to rig the midterms from their executive orders and legal maneuvers to attack vote by mail, change campaign finance laws, intimidate local election officials, and even throw legal voters off the voting roles. and every single redistricted frontliner will return to Congress. Simply put, their gerrymandering scheme absolutely backfired. And it should send a strong message to any Republican thinking of pursuing any more
gerrymanders next year. They do so at their own peril because it's clear that the American people hate it when politicians try to pick their voters. Driving this backlash were black voters, particularly in the South, rejecting the cynical efforts by Republicans to dilute their political power and their voice. We warned Republicans their attacks on black voters would backfire, and we saw it last night in places like Alabama and North Carolina where they overwhelmingly turned out to elect Democrats.
Republicans also took Latino voters for granted. For this hubris, we witnessed a rejection of Republicans by Latinos at historic levels, erasing any imaginary gains they hoped they would get in their gerrymanders of Texas and Florida. And despite how large our victory was last night, we are not done. Over the next few days and weeks, we're going to make sure that every legal vote is counted until every race across the country is certified, ensuring the outcome is determined only by the will of the American people, as it should be. I'm confident by then we'll gain even more seats than we've called today. Each and everyone will be an essential part of ensuring we have the largest possible governing majority.
Our victory is not just impressive because of how many seats we gained. Although we did gain a lot. What was incredible about last night was how far we reached into deep red territory. As of this morning, 254 races have been called in our favor. We will at least get to 255 with 35 races too close to call or outstanding. We won in at least 21 districts that Donald Trump won by double digits or more. This is unprecedented in the 21st century. Furthermore, the DC invested in 35 races that have flipped from red to blue so far, providing that our strategic investments and laser focused decisions on where to expand the map from the start of the cycle paid off. These
results illustrate across the board how ready the American people are for change. How tired they are of the broken promises from Republicans. Voters sent a message that they are eager for a Congress that will again be an independent and co-equal branch of government, asserting our oversight authority and exercising the power of the purse to put a meaningful check on this administration. And while the rebuke against two years of Republican rule was clear across the entire country, make no mistake, we won the majority district by district because of our amazing candidates. Our candidates were the secret to our success. And as I have said over and over, they are our secret sauce. While they all share a passion to serve, they are all very unique. There were no
cookie cutter candidates. Each and every one of them is deeply connected to their districts in their own way. We had firefighters, ministers, mayors, veterans, teachers, farmers, prosecutors, union leaders, law enforcement, doctors, journalists, and even a Grammy award-winning musician. They were all able to transcend partisan politics in part because they are deeply rooted in their communities, but also because they are driven by a genuine desire to represent every person in their district, Democrats, Republicans, and independents. They understand that the job title is representative, not rubber stamp. In the 120th Congress, under the leadership of Speaker Hakeim Jeff, we're going to waste no time in getting to
work in pursuing an affordability agenda, rooting out the culture of corruption that has festered in Washington DC these past two years. I am so honored to be here with this incredible team of people who have led the way, but no one more so than our leader, the future Speaker of the House, Hakeim Jeff. Good afternoon everyone. What an honor and a privilege to be here uh with all of my distinguished colleagues in leadership right after this stunning rebuke of mega extremism and a great night for the American people. I'm so thankful for Susan Delben. Her extraordinary leadership and stewardship as our field general for the DC has brought us to this moment. One of the first decisions that I had to make as the newly elected House Democratic
leader was to ask Susan Delben to serve as the chair of the DLEC. I'm glad that I asked and I'm even more thankful that she accepted. She's done an extraordinary job and we're deeply appreciative. Mike Johnson was correct. The polls were wrong. It wasn't simply a blue wave. It was an American tsunami. House Democrats have decisively taken back control of the Congress. We will win at least 255 seats, if not more, once every vote has been tallied. It's a historic majority in the 21st century. Democrats have taken back control of the Senate. Democrats have won governorships all across the country. We flipped legislative chambers in the North, in the South, in the East, in the West, and in the Midwest.
It was a great victory for the American people. The American people have chosen the economy over extremism. The American people have chosen hope over hatred. The American people have chosen common sense over corruption, chaos, and cruelty. The American people have chosen House Democrats because they want to see a dramatic change in direction. And that's exactly what House Democrats will deliver beginning on day one. We've promised to fight for an affordable America and that's exactly what we will do. And we look forward to welcoming all of these extraordinary patriotic candidates who flip seats all across the country. And we look forward
to welcoming back our extraordinary battleground incumbents. Every single one of whom prevailed unlike anything we've ever really seen in a midterm election in modern American history. We're humbled by the outcome and we know we have to undertake with the seriousness of purpose a relentless effort to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, for workingclass Americans, for middle class Americans, and for all those who aspire to be part of the middle class. We're going to fight hard for every single American wherever you may reside. We're going to fight hard for smalltown America. We're going to fight hard for rural America. We're going to fight hard for urban America.
We're going to fight hard for the heartland of America. We're going to fight hard for black and brown communities all throughout America. This is a victory for the American people and we should never doubt the resilience, the character, the courage and the conviction of the American people to do the right thing. It is now my honor to yield to one of my really good friends and a classmate of mine. We came into Congress together. We've served on this leadership journey together.
She's one of the main reasons why in the minority, Democrats have consistently governed as if we were in the majority and we're just getting started. And so I yield to the next majority leader of the House of Representatives and someone who will be the first woman to ever serve in that position in our 250 year journey. The Honorable Katherine Clark. Thank you. Thank you so much. Oh my goodness. Um thank you so much. Uh, and in the words of the great Dolly Parton, it's been a long hard fight, but I see a brand new day adawning. And I want to start by thanking our incredible leader,
our next speaker, Hakeim Jeff, for all that he has done. The leadership of Susan Delben at the DELC is nothing short of extraordinary. And I am so proud to stand here and make history with our next majority whip, Pete Aguilar, and our next Democratic caucus chair, Ted Louu. and to all of our candidates, members, staff, and supporters who fought long and hard for this brand new day. We saw so many images of hope yesterday. People of all ages coming to the polls, crowds celebrating, but there's one image that has stuck with me. It's the video of the memorial of to Alex Prey and Renee Good.
It is covered with I voted stickers. Hundreds and hundreds of people went to that memorial and put that sticker there. Each one placed by an American who turned out and cast their ballot in the ultimate act of hope. the ultimate act of faith in our democracy. People who are fighting to survive. Not only fighting to survive under the brutality and terror of ICE, but fighting to survive under the crushing weight of a broken economy. fighting to survive cuts to their health care or cuts to their SNAP benefits or the hike they're seeing in their rent and mortgage and utility costs. Fighting to survive the uncertainty of what will happen to their family tomorrow. That's who this majority is going to fight for. The American people didn't
just reject the failures and broken promises of the last two years. They didn't just vote for damage control. They have entrusted a Democratic Congress to lead us forward to something better, to make their lives easier. They want a system that prioritizes the working class over the billionaire class. An economy that rewards hard work again and a government where the people's voice is the one that counts. A country worthy of our children. And that is the work that we are going to start today. And I am so glad to have a partner in all of this in our outstanding next majority whip, Pete Agular.
Thank you so much, future leader Clark. It sounds good. Uh Katherine has been just a superstar uh within our caucus and I look forward to her leadership as majority leader governing and guiding the floor activities. Uh thank you to future Speaker Jeff for the work, the determination, the focus. the American the Democratic caucus and the American people are looking forward to his leadership ahead and January 3rd cannot come soon enough to Susan Delman, Julie Murs, the entire DEC team here in this building, uh Will and Brooke and everybody who works in this building have just poured their heart and soul into everything that they've done. Uh they believed this was possible when others didn't. They had a road mapap and
a game plan and we're so thankful uh for their leadership and we're so thankful that Susan uh is in this position and that she has been our absolute rock and field general as leader Jeffree says last night the American people sent a very clear message. They've had enough and they're ready for change. They've had enough of Trump's broken promises. They've had enough of rising gas prices. They've had enough of the endless wars. and they've had enough of the rampant corruption. Democrats promised a new path forward and last night the voters delivered a mandate for it. While Republicans have spent the last two
years driving up prices, Democrats have been fighting for an affordable America for everyone. With this majority, we're going to work immediately on lowering costs, protecting health care, and holding this administration accountable. And while Democrats won across this country, the real winners are the millions of Americans who showed up and made their voices heard. The victory belongs to those who want a fair economy, who want hard work and know that hard work means an opportunity to buy a home, to raise a family, and to get ahead. Who shouldn't have to worry about going broke if they get sick. and who want to retire in dignity and build a better future for their kids. And this victory belongs to all of those
who are tired of the chaos, cruelty, and corruption coming out of Washington. This is what happens when Democrats build coalitions around issues that matter most. We listen to voters. We competed in every corner of the country. And we left it all on the field. And even as Republicans tried to rig elections in their favor, Democrats were given a clear mandate by the American people. From San Bernardino to the Rio Grand Valley to Alabama to western North Carolina to make life more affordable. Now, it's our responsibility to earn the trust of these voters every single day. The American people gave us this majority.
We're going to deliver the change that they voted for, and we look forward to getting to work. It's my honor to introduce my classmate, my friend, the vice chair of the Democratic caucus, the future chair of the Democratic caucus, Ted Lu. It is a honor to be here with Speaker Electries, Majority Elect Katherine Clark, Whip Pete Aguilar, and our amazing, outstanding, incredible fuel general Susan Delben. Last night, the American people sent a clear and unmistakable repudiation of the MAGA agenda of Donald Trump and Republicans. The last two years, the American people saw gas prices skyrocketing, health care costs exploding, the risk of artificial intelligence getting out of control, and what was the response from Trump
Republicans, putting his name on stuff from passports to coins to buildings. What was Donald Trump doing the day before the election? He was standing in front of a Lincoln memorial reflecting pool talking how they should change the name of that reflecting pool, which he messed up, to the Trump reflecting pool. And the American people said enough. Stop the insanity. Stop the corruption and focus on lowering prices and under leadership of this amazing leadership team. Democrats listened and that's why the American people flipped the House and flipped the Senate. And when Democrats are in control, we're going to focus on
affordability. We will pass a bill to reverse the largest Medicaid cut in US history enacted by Republicans. We will pass a bill to restore the ACA tax credits. We will pass a bill to stop the stupid Trump tariffs jacking up prices on Americans. And we will pass a bill to stop the Iran war. And on the subject of national security, I just want to note that as a veteran myself, we are all super excited with an incredibly large number of Democrats who happen to be veterans who flipped seats last night on track to be well over 10. The American people sent a message. Democrats are listening. I urge Trump and Republicans to do the same.
Thank you, Ted. Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Katherine. Thank you, Pete. Questions? We have been focused relentlessly on dealing with the affordability crisis and driving down the high cost of living. We made a promise to the country that we would fight for an affordable America and we intend to keep it. We need to reverse the Medicaid cuts. We need to extend the affordable care act tax credits. We need to end this reckless and costly war of choice that has skyrocketed gas prices. all across the country. And we need to stop the Trump tariffs that have increased costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars per year.
Is Pete Hath still around? Questions. President Trump. How do you envision actually working with someone that you yourself called the dumbest person ever to hold that office and you're facing calls to impeach? I haven't had a single member of the House Democratic Caucus talk to me about impeachment. We've been relentlessly focused on affordability and on accountability because the House is a separate and co-equal branch of government. We recognize that we don't work for Donald Trump. We don't work for JD Vance. We don't work for the Supreme Court. We work for the American people. And the days of the House of Representatives functioning like a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump administration
are over. House Democrats are going to lead a Congress that does serve as a check and balance on an outofcrol executive branch. I have not heard from President Trump. It's my understanding that leader Schumer has not heard from President Trump. I look forward to talking to the members of the House Democratic Caucus when we convene early next week. I look forward to talking to Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats when we convene next week and charting a path forward to bring about the type of dramatic change the American people are clearly demanding. What would you say to Trump? What would second row? Any anyone else?
I have more to say about the Dantis dummy mander in a moment, but let me yield uh to Susan Delenny. You know, we had resounding wins. Jared Moscowitz, Kathy Caster, uh Darren Sto, they tried to take those seats out. They didn't. Pia Dundia is in coming in as a new member of Congress. So despite all of their attempts to rig the system in Florida, we had an incredible showing and um and all due to incredible incumbents and incredible candidates who are running. We made clear last year when this corrupt effort to rig the midterm elections by gerrymanding congressional maps in red states all across the country began. That Republicans might start this redistricting and gerrymandering battle, Democrats were
going to finish it. And last night, that's exactly what happened. We're thankful to the American people above all else. We're thankful to our incredible and courageous battleground incumbents who were put in a position where the Republicans like Dantis wanted them to step back, but on behalf of the American people, they chose to fight back. Kathy Caster chose to run and she prevailed. Jared Moscowitz chose to run and he prevailed. Darren Sto chose to run and he prevailed. Henry Quayar chose to run in a redrawn district like all of the others and he prevailed. Vincente Gonzalez chose to run in a redrawn district and he prevailed. Don Davis chose to run in a redrawn district and
he prevailed. Shamari figures and that was my last stop on the campaign trail with him in Montgomery, Alabama, the birthplace of the civil rights movement. And it was a moving experience to end this campaign there. He chose to run and he prevailed by 10 points. Marcy Captor, the OG of the Battleground members. I said that at a battleground meeting once. Marcy Captor looked at me. She said, "What's an OG?" I said, "Don't worry about it, Marcy. It's something good." Marcy Capa, the OG of the battleground members, she chose to run in a dramatically redrawn district and she prevailed. Greg Lansman chose to run
in a redrawn district designed to defeat him and he won. It was decisive, complete, and total. I want to thank those frontline members. I want to thank our candidates like Bobby Paleo and Johnny Garcia and so many others who ran and Pia and I want to thank Susan and the DC and Julie and every single member of the House Democratic Caucus who notwithstanding that redrawn map believed it when we all said they started this but we're going to finish it. Yes, we can. And yes, we did. They messed around and now they're going to find out. We're going to have a conversation as a caucus upon our return about what the agenda looks like, but we're going to get out of the gate fast. Let me yield to our majority leader and our majority
whip uh who are going to play an incredibly important role in how it all looks in the 120th Congress. Thank you so much. We ran as affordability Democrats and every single campaign had that at its center. Lower costs, make sure every American has health care when and where they need it that they can afford. and hold those who are enriching themselves through corruption at taxpayers expense accountable. And that's exactly what we're going to do. The priority, the agenda. We cannot wait to get this big caucus together and help set that with the speaker's vision and guidance. Um, but I can tell you this that every week when we come to the floor, it is going to be the people of this country who are going to be the focus of the work we do
and the campaign promises made are going to be promises kept. The northstar for the Democratic caucus is going to be affordability. Um, we've talked about it and we're going to deliver on it. not putting billionaires above workingclass people, not taking away health care, but expanding health care, expanding opportunity, lowering the cost of housing and utilities, uh lowering the costs that people face. That's going to be the agenda. But as the future speaker said, we're going to use the next couple weeks to have conversations with our caucus, refine that focus, work with the committees of jurisdiction, and we're going to come out uh and we're going to come out aggressively uh for the American people. But we're going to lead with this
vision, this inclusive vision to lower the cost that people face. Uh but we're going to do it together. Uh and we're going to do it as a group. Uh and we're going to do it successfully under the leadership of Speaker Jeff and Leader Clark. I'm looking forward to sitting down with the returning members of the House Democratic Caucus and the incoming members of the House Democratic Caucus. At the same time, we've consistently made the point that we are ready, willing, and able to find bipartisan common ground with the other side of the aisle as long as we can bring about meaningful change on the issues that matter. And that begins with decisively addressing the affordability crisis. The cost of living is way too high. It is
out of control. There are far too many people in this country who are working hard and playing by the rules, but they can't thrive and they can barely survive. People in this country, hardworking American taxpayers, middle class taxpayers, workingclass taxpayers who are stressed the f out whenever they have to go to the grocery store. That's unacceptable. Stressed the f out whenever they have to go to the gas station to try and fill they're tank. That's unacceptable. And they're stressed the f out whenever they have to pay the rent or the mortgage. And so if the other side of the aisle
wants to work with us to deliver the type of bold, dramatic, and decisive change the American people are demanding, we'll sit down and we'll have that conversation. in addition to being the next chair of the House Democratic Caucus and another history maker in this group behind me, the highest ranking Asian-American ever to serve. served when we start the 120th Congress, Ted Lou. He's also led our commission on artificial intelligence designed to make sure we protect the American people. And so, let me yield to the next chair of the House Democratic Caucus, Ted Lou. Thank you, Speaker Elect Jeff. The Trump administration House Republicans last year made a conscious decision to let the AI industry run wild. And that was a bad decision politically and a bad
decision on policy. Two things will change next term. We will hold public hearings on AI. We will pass legislation, reasonable guard rails on AI. And specific to data centers, you see huge push back from the American people for the outofc control AI industry. We need to have to put in some reasonable, sensible guardrails. Hakeem Jeff set up a Democratic AI commission that I cultured with Josh Godheimer and Valerie Fushi and we are working on putting out a document uh that we'll work with Leo Jeff on that you'll see that will lay out some of the things that Democrats will focus on next term. We will have um conversations with leadership and with our entire caucus.
Let me also give a shout out to our heroic, legendary, and iconic speaker of Merita, Nancy Delisandro Pelosi. We had a great conversation yesterday. Thankful for her. Thankful the legendary Jim Klyurn. Thankful for our incredible colleague, former majority leader Steny Hoyer. It's wonderful for all of us to have the opportunity to serve with them and now to stand on their shoulders. as we talked about uh what I think we all support progressives, new Dems and blue dogs is to move forward aggressively to reverse the Medicaid cuts and to move forward aggressively to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Now with respect to how we go forward beyond that uh that's the reason why we've established five working
groups on affordability. one on healthcare and that's co-convened by Representative Okasio Cortez and Representative Terry Su to work on a path forward for us to decisively bring to life our commitment that here in America we want to make health care affordable for every single American so they can afford to go see a doctor when they need one. We'll have a family conversation when we get back and certainly in the new Congress about what's the best way to do that beyond what we know we need to do immediately, which is fight to reverse the Medicaid cuts and extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. We also have established affordability working groups on housing, an affordability working group on gas and groceries, an
affordability working group on goods and utilities, and an affordability working group on caregiving. These are the five areas where we'll be having conversations as a House Democratic Caucus family, united and committed to the goal of making life more affordable for the American people. Last question. Senate Democrats. across both chambers or should Senate Democrats? I look forward to having a conversation with Leader Schumer and congratulations to Leader Schumer. Congratulations to the Senate Democrats and congratulations to all of the incredible public servants who are going to be serving in the House
and in the Senate together. It looks like they're going to have a decisive majority in the Senate. We are certainly going to have a decisive majority in the House. We will pick up at least 40 seats without losing a single Democratic incumbent. And as Susan indicated, they're still counting in about 30 or 35 other seats. [snorts] That's with us landing at around 254 255. That's a stunning repudiation of MAGA extremism and an incredible victory for the American people. So, let me end by simply saying to everyday Americans who want us to bring about dramatic change and make their lives more affordable, we hear you, we see you, we feel you, and we're committed to making life better for you. Thank you everyone.
