Democrats Vow to Make Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" a Central Issue in 2026 Midterm Elections

Strategic Insights -

House Democrats' campaign arm is projecting confidence that Republicans in key swing districts will take a significant political hit from voting for the legislation, known as the "One Big, Ugly Bill." The bill, passed by the Senate with a tie-breaking vote by Vice President JD Vance, extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts and allocates funds for border security and the military while cutting funding for Medicaid, food assistance, and clean energy subsidies and tax credits. Democrats are already planning to make the bill a central issue in the 2026 midterm elections, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) vowing to communicate the harm the bill will cause to voters.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Senate voted 51-50 to pass the "One Big, Ugly Bill" with Vice President JD Vance serving as the tie-breaking vote.
  • Three Senate Republicans, Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.), Thom Tillis (N.C.), and Susan Collins (Maine), voted against the bill, which was passed after a brutal, multi-day process.
  • The bill extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts and allocates funds for border security and the military while cutting funding for Medicaid, food assistance, and clean energy subsidies and tax credits.
  • The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the bill would add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, but Republicans have argued that this analysis fails to take into account the impact of economic growth.
  • Democrats are planning to make the bill a central issue in the 2026 midterm elections, with the DCCC vowing to communicate the harm the bill will cause to voters.
  • A slew of polling over the last month suggests the GOP legislation is deeply unpopular among voters.
  • House Republicans have already voted in May to pass the bill, and will now have to vote on the Senate version.
  • Individual Democrats have hammered the bill in statements on the Senate vote, with Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) saying it is "one of the worst bills I've ever seen."
  • The National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella is promoting the bill as a way to show how Republicans are delivering results.

Statistics:

  • The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the bill would add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.
  • A poll conducted over the last month showed that the GOP legislation is deeply unpopular, with a majority of voters opposing the bill.
  • The Senate voted 51-50 to pass the bill, with three Senate Republicans voting against it.

Sources:

  • Axios. "Senate votes to pass Trump's big, beautiful bill" [https://www.axios.com/2025/07/01/senate-gop-passes-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-vote](https://www.axios.com/2025/07/01/senate-gop-passes-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-vote)
  • Axios. "DCCC memo: Trump's big, beautiful bill will be the reason Republicans lose in 2026" [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25987418-dccc-memo-2026-big-beautiful-bill/](https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25987418-dccc-memo-2026-big-beautiful-bill/)
  • Axios. "Trump's big, beautiful bill would add $3.3 trillion to deficit, CBO estimates" [https://www.axios.com/2025/06/29/senate-big-beautiful-bill-deficits-debt](https://www.axios.com/2025/06/29/senate-big-beautiful-bill-deficits-debt)