House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) expressed confidence on Saturday that Democrats can still win back the House of Representatives, despite a recent redistricting ruling in Virginia that could benefit Republicans heading into November's midterm elections. "We're going to take back control of the House of Representatives," Jeffries told MS NOW's Ali Velshi.
Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the lower chamber: 217 GOP members, 212 Democrats and one independent representative who caucuses with Republicans. There are also five vacant seats previously held by three Democrats and two Republicans, meaning both parties have opportunities to pick up seats in upcoming special elections.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have welcomed the Virginia Supreme Court's ruling upholding new congressional maps, which could strengthen their position in a handful of competitive districts. Party strategists argue the redistricting outcome offsets any potential backlash over energy prices heading into November.
The Trump administration has defended rising gas prices as "short-term" pain resulting from its harder line on Iran. During Trump's first term, he exited an existing nuclear agreement with Tehran; his current approach includes renewed sanctions and a more confrontational stance that has contributed to higher oil prices globally.
Former White House Legislative Affairs Director Marc Short, who served in the first Trump administration, cautioned earlier this year about political risks from rising costs. "The reality is that prices are going to continue to go up," Short said on CNN in March. "This is going to continue to ripple through ... To say this is a short-term pain really sets an expectation for a lot of Americans that if it's not, it's going to create a bigger and bigger problem come November."
House Republican Campaign Committee officials have maintained that the party is well-positioned to defend its majority, pointing to favorable district lines in key states and what they describe as voter enthusiasm around Trump's agenda.
What the Left Is Saying
Jeffries said Democrats will focus on voters' affordability concerns, pointing to rising energy costs under President Trump's Iran policy as a potential vulnerability for Republicans. "We're going to continue to make clear to the American people that we will lower their high cost of living, fix a broken health care system and clean up the corruption," he said.
The Democratic leader also called for "nationwide" reforms to judicial, electoral and campaign finance systems. "Which is why we have to take the House back, take the Senate back, keep pressing forward, and then in 2028, take the presidency back as well," Jeffries continued.
Progressive groups have echoed this message, arguing that kitchen-table economic issues will drive voters to support Democratic candidates despite the redistricting setback. The party has pointed to polling showing voters are concerned about gas prices and inflation as evidence they can overcome structural disadvantages in several states.
What the Numbers Show
Current House breakdown: 217 Republicans, 212 Democrats, 1 independent who caucuses with GOP. Five vacant seats remain outstanding — three previously held by Democrats and two by Republicans.
Average U.S. gas price: $4.53 per gallon on Saturday, according to AAA data. This represents a 44 percent increase from the same date one year earlier.
To win control of the House, Democrats need to flip at least five seats (assuming they hold all current seats and the independent maintains their alignment with Republicans).
Virginia's new congressional maps were upheld by the state Supreme Court in January, redrawing several competitive districts that could affect the national balance of power in November.
The Bottom Line
The Virginia redistricting ruling adds a layer of complexity to Democrats' path to winning House control. While Jeffries and other party leaders have expressed optimism, they face structural headwinds from the new maps alongside economic concerns about energy prices that cut both ways as a potential motivator for opposition voters.
November's midterm elections will test whether affordability concerns translate into Democratic gains or whether Republicans can successfully argue their Iran policy represents necessary long-term strategy despite short-term pain at the pump. The five special elections to fill vacant seats could provide early indicators of voter sentiment before the general election.