Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher has warned Democrats not to repeat what he called "bad ideas" now that the party has scored sweeping victories in the midterm elections. Maher pointed to slogans such as "defund the police" and to lax enforcement against shoplifting as examples of positions he believes Democrats should avoid reviving.
Maher also criticized what he described as progressive "lawn sign" moral posturing, arguing that symbolic gestures do little to win over voters. He framed the Republican losses as the product of a voter pendulum swinging back after a period of Republican control, rather than as a mandate for any particular Democratic agenda.
The results were notable. Republicans lost several races considered upsets, including contests in South Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi and Georgia. Democrats now hold majorities in both chambers of Congress. In Texas, Maher singled out wins by Democrats James Talarico and Hinojosa, while Pulido flipped a redrawn South Texas district, ousting Republican Monica De La Cruz.
Maher cited immigration-related shootings and cuts to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases as drivers of public backlash against the Trump administration. Analysts quoted in the reporting argue that anger at President Donald Trump, rather than support for Democratic policy, was the main force behind the results.
Immigration has become a dividing line in the aftermath of the vote. A Fox News poll found that 27 percent of Republicans ranked immigration as their top issue, compared with just 3 percent of Democrats. Before the election, Hispanic voters surveyed ranked the economy first at 45 percent and immigration at 15 percent. UnidosUS estimates that 14.5 million Latinos voted in 2026. Texas Democrats have since pushed for immigration reform.
The economy also weighed on voters. The Iran war and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz raised gas prices, a factor analysts say contributed to the mood at the polls. Trump has told 60 Minutes that some of his deportation policies were "too tough."
The results have also renewed debate over the Senate filibuster. Several Democratic senators say they are open to ending it. Senator Ed Markey said the filibuster "has to be on the table," while Senator Andy Kim warned that changing the rule could be a "double-edged sword." Trump has pressed Senate Republicans to abolish the filibuster, but it remains unclear whether any change would come before 2028.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment and did not receive a response.