After losing all three branches of power in 2024, progressive Democrats are hungry for the opportunity to reshape the party along ideological, generational, and other factional lines in 2026.

Hello and welcome to USA Today is The Excerpt.

I'm Dana Taylor.

Today is Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

Fueled by an increasing anger among Democratic voters

and a splintered Republican base,

the possibility of a Democratic-controlled House looks

increasingly likely for 2027. How might that thwart the success of President Donald Trump's

second half agenda? Joining me to look at how progressives might change the calculus in Washington

is USA Today Chief Political Correspondent,

Philip M. Bailey.

Philip, thank you so much for coming back on the show.

Hey, Dana. How are you?

It's good to see you.

So let's start by looking at what some recent polling has revealed about how voters

are feeling about President Trump and Republicans and Democrats in general.

For President Trump, now, I guess, 11 months since his return to power has really seen,

I think, his approval numbers shrink to numbers that he didn't even see in his first term, right?

Poll after poll shows the American people are very frustrated with the lack of lowering prices.

His own coalition is beginning to show some cracks.

We see with, for example, Congressman Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia,

we just recently did a sit-down interview with 60 Minutes.

...