As calls to impeach President Donald Trump grow among some Democrats, candidates running in key Senate races are taking different approaches, with many distancing themselves from the idea of impeaching him.
Some Democrats have called for Trump’s impeachment during his second term, accusing him of abusing his power over his tariffs, immigration enforcement and the Iran war that they believe requires action from Congress. Those efforts have been doomed from the start—Republicans control both chambers of Congress and have not signaled any interest at all in supporting impeachment.
Some Democrats want their representatives to pursue impeachment if they retake control of Congress in the midterms, and leadership may have to thread the needle on that issue next year.
In battleground states, Democratic Senate candidates have mostly been wary of impeachment, declining to call on their potential future House colleagues to pursue proceedings against Trump.
Even if Democrats retake control of Congress, removing Trump from office would remain a steep challenge. A House impeachment would trigger a Senate trial, where conviction and removal would require a two-thirds majority, meaning it would need backing from some Republicans.
Some Democrats also see impeachment as a distraction. They have emphasized the economy and affordability as their top priorities in the midterms, rather than running on impeachment. As polls suggest voters view the economy as their top issue, they may prefer to keep it in the spotlight rather than focus on potential investigations into the administration.
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Most Swing State Senate Candidates Wary of Impeachment
Most Democratic candidates in competitive races have generally declined to support impeachment proceedings against Trump.
In Ohio, former Senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking a comeback against Republican Senator Jon Husted, has distanced himself from impeachment.
“I can't speak for everybody else, but I would not support an impeachment of Trump. There's just simply no reason for that, no matter what happens in the midterms,” he told The Columbus Dispatch in an interview published Monday.
New Hampshire Representative Chris Pappas, who is facing a close contest against former Senator John Sununu in the race to succeed Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, told Manchester-based news station WMUR he believes impeachment “should not come at the expense of the need to focus on the cost of living crisis and addressing the healthcare challenges that New Hampshire is facing.”
Still, he said there is also a need for some accountability.
“We need to understand what’s been going on over the last couple years. We’ve seen the tip of the iceberg being reported on, but it could go much deeper than that in terms of the culture of corruption, the way that Donald Trump is fleecing taxpayers and serving himself,” Pappas said.
Josh Turek, who is running against GOP Representative Ashley Hinson in Iowa’s Senate race, said during a recent debate that he has “no interest” in impeachment.
“I think that we need to look forward and not back,” he said.
Adam Hamilton, who is hoping to flip Kansas by unseating Republican Senator Roger Marshall, told MS NOW he is “not going to Washington to hold trials.”
“I’m going to Washington to fight for the people of Kansas and make life better for them,” he said.
James Talarico, the Democratic candidate running against Republican Ken Paxton in Texas, said during a primary debate that he would not “articulate articles of impeachment” during a political debate, but that if charges were brought, he would “carefully evaluate them.”
Progressives Back Impeachment
More progressive candidates, however, have supported impeachment.
Michigan candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who is running against former Representative Mike Rogers, a Republican, has repeatedly voiced support for impeaching the president.
He said during a recent interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press that he believes Trump has engaged in numerous impeachable offenses.
“I can see multiple things that my colleagues in the House might consider impeachable offenses. But again, the goal here is not retribution. The goal here is enforcement of the rule of law,” he said.
He also said that it is “not going to be my place to vote to impeach.”
“But I will be in a position to vote to convict. I’ll also tell you this. We have a responsibility to make sure that we are bringing down prices first and foremost. It is a crisis out there,” he said.
Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor and a Senate candidate, told Sahan Journal that impeachment “is absolutely on the table and I will absolutely be on board for that.”
“He has to be impeached,” she said, adding that “there’s a long list of reasons why this guy shouldn’t be in office.”
Newsweek reached out to all mentioned campaigns via email for comment.
Do Americans Support Impeachment?
A poll from April 10 to 14, 2026, conducted by Strength in Numbers and Verasight, found that 55 percent of Americans would support the House impeaching Trump, while 37 percent opposed it and 8 percent were unsure.
Among Democrats, 88 percent wanted to see Trump impeached, while 50 percent of independents and 21 percent of Republicans said they supported impeachment, the poll of 1,514 adults found. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
Prediction markets also suggest that traders anticipate a Trump impeachment at some point during his term. Kalshi showed a 67.4 percent chance of Trump impeachment, while Polymarket showed 74 percent as of Wednesday morning.
Prediction markets allow traders to buy and sell contracts tied to political outcomes and current events, aggregating real‑money wagers into probability estimates. Prices fluctuate as traders react to developments in the race and broader political trends. They measure trader sentiment at a given moment but do not always predict the future accurately.
What Have Democratic Leaders Said About Impeachment?
House Democratic leaders have also been hesitant to join impeachment calls.
"We certainly haven't ruled anything in, and we haven't ruled anything out," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the New York Democrat who is seen as the frontrunner to become the next House Speaker, told PBS last month.
He said Democrats would "follow the facts, apply the law, be guided by the Constitution" and "let the chips fall where they may."
Democratic leaders also voted against recent articles of impeachment.
House Democrats wrote in a joint statement that impeachment “is a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law and violating the public trust.”
The effort “traditionally requires a comprehensive investigative process,” which they wrote has not been done.
White House Has Downplayed Impeachment
The White House has previously downplayed impeachment efforts.
“Democrats have been talking about impeaching President Trump since before he was even sworn into office. The Democrats in Congress are deranged, weak, and ineffective, which is why their approval ratings are at historic lows,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle previously told Newsweek.
What Happens Next
Whether Democrats can impeach Trump depends on the midterm results. Democrats are increasingly hopeful about flipping the House, and the Senate is seen as competitive despite offering few easy pickup opportunities. Still, Democrats supporting impeachment could face pushback from members of their own party if they move to launch proceedings next year.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Sam Wilson.