Midterms 2026 · Report · File No. 261029-574
Scalise presses GOP turnout message as Democrats say House is within reach
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise is telling Republicans that showing up to vote is how they keep the House. Democrats say they are on the verge of taking it back on Nov. 3.
Every quote in this story (2) was matched word for word against its source. How we work
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, is making turnout the center of his closing argument as the midterm election nears. In a Fox News video dated Oct. 25, he urged people to "show up and vote" so Republicans can keep the House 1. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
A note on sourcing: we could not independently review the Thursday report that prompted this brief. The details below come from Scalise's recent public statements and from coverage of Democrats' own claims.
What Scalise has said
In the Oct. 25 Fox clip, Scalise also said socialism is on the ballot 1. That line is not new for him. In an August interview with Punchbowl News, he made the same point, naming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed as examples 2.
In that August interview he also made a flat prediction. 2 He said, "We're not going to be in the minority." He called a six-seat Republican majority in 2027 "very possible," the first specific number he had put on it 2.
From Channel GOPImpeachment vote: Why Republicans avoided the issueHakeem Jeffries · 1.4K plays · captioned, with the source named
We're not going to be in the minority.
What Democrats say
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said in a CNN interview that Democrats are very likely to win the House. He did not give a seat count, but said his party is on track to reach 218 seats, the number needed for a majority 3.
We're on the verge of taking back control of the House of Representatives
Jeffries said Democrats are campaigning on affordability. He pledged to lower costs for groceries, fuel, housing and prescription drugs, protect Affordable Care Act tax credits and reverse Medicaid cuts 3. He blamed Republican policies, including tariffs backed by President Trump, for higher prices 3.
Earlier this month, Jeffries said Democrats have 66 districts on their target list. Most of them backed Trump in 2024 4. A Sept. 24-27 Quinnipiac poll showed Democrats with a 12-point lead on the generic ballot, which asks voters which party they would back for Congress 4.
What happens next
Voting ends Tuesday, and close House races could take days to settle. If Democrats win 218 seats, they would control committees and could set the House agenda in January. Jeffries said Democrats have neither ruled impeachment in nor out. According to the report, oversight efforts would be handled by lawmakers on the Judiciary and Oversight committees, including Rep. Jamie Raskin and Rep. Robert Garcia 3.
Republicans have long dismissed Democratic confidence as overblown. They point to their strong fundraising edge in the final weeks 4.
Why it matters
That matters because a turnout appeal is what a party makes when it needs its own voters to show up. Midterm electorates are often smaller than presidential ones. Both parties know the result may depend on who actually votes.
For older voters, who turn out at high rates, the House decides funding fights over Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. Whichever party wins Tuesday will shape those debates.
The Record
- Scalise tells Punchbowl News "We're not going to be in the minority" and calls a six-seat GOP majority "very possible" 2.
- Jeffries says Democrats have 66 target districts and expects to win the House majority 4.
- Scalise urges people to "show up and vote" to keep the House in a Fox News video 1.
- Jeffries tells CNN Democrats are on track to reach 218 seats 3.
Sources
- Fox News, “Republicans skeptical of polling data ahead of midterms (video)” (2026-10-25). foxnews.com/video/6407390969112
- Punchbowl News, “Scalise on the road, 81 days out” (2026-08-14). punchbowl.news/article/campaigns/what-will-scalise-do/
- Tampa Free Press, “House Takeover Within Grasp, Jeffries Declares In Midterm Push” (2026-10-26). tampafp.com/house-takeover-within-grasp-jeffries-declares-in
- Roll Call, “Jeffries says Democrats are poised to win the House majority” (2026-10-04). rollcall.com/2026/10/04/house-democrats-majority-elections-h
Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.
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