Alex Cooper , Advocate Editor in Chief: Hope is really going to return next year. We see fault lines among far-right Republicans and the MAGA crowd. We also see voters not buying into the anti-transgender attacks that once dominated political races. I think these things will continue to allow opportunities for Democrats in ways that we haven’t seen in the last couple of years. A year into the new Trump administration, the negative consequences of Donald Trump’s policies (tariffs, anyone?) will also push independent voters to support Democrats. We’ll see firings and resignations across the federal government as Trump retaliates and scapegoats others over his policy failures. LGBTQ+ people won’t be saved from the scapegoating, unfortunately, but I don’t think that tactic will help the right this time around. Democrats are going to start coalescing around potential 2028 presidential candidates. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Gavin Newsom, and others will be more active as they try to shore up support for the next election. The older generation of Democratic leadership will fall. We’ve seen real desire by voters for a new left establishment — the election of Zohran Mamdani is a pretty good indicator of that desire — and we have the retirement of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi as a sign of older leadership deciding — or having to — step aside for a new and even more LGBTQ-supportive generation of political leaders. Each year, more and more queer political candidates are running for office, and I expect this year to have the most candidates and the most elected in U.S. history. Demonstrators protest against the Trump administration at a 'No Kings' national rally in downtown Los Angeles, June 14, 2025. RINGO CHIU/AFP via Getty Images Trudy Ring , Senior Politics Editor : Democrats will regain majorities in the House and Senate in midterms. They also will continue to rack up wins in state races. Trump will likely be brought down, one way or another, either by ill health or, dare we hope, impeachment and conviction? Democrats will need more than a simple majority in the Senate for that, however. And could we stand a President Vance, if only for two years? But even if Trump remains in office, a Democratic majority in Congress, joined by some Republicans who are finally sick of him, will push back against his power grabs, limiting his effectiveness. There will probably be a rash of Cabinet resignations. Cabinet members don’t always stick around for a president’s full term anyway, and there are likely to be more resignations than usual as they see Trump failing. Scott Bessent can go pretend to be a soybean farmer, and Kristi Noem can inflict her cruelty on dogs and goats instead of humans. Pete Buttigieg KC McGinnis For The Washington Post via Getty Images Christopher Wiggins , Senior National Reporter: Republicans are poised to lean once again on the politics of scapegoating, targeting transgender Americans as a midterm foil despite the strategy’s diminishing returns — most recently in Virginia, where voters rejected those fear-based appeals. At the same time, Donald Trump will continue to probe the limits of presidential power, encouraged by a U.S. Supreme Court increasingly willing to bolster him through the shadow docket, reshaping American governance in ways both immediate and opaque. With the FIFA World Cup set to land on U.S. soil, global audiences may hesitate to attend, wary of the political climate as much as the stadium turnstiles. And if past behavior is prologue, Trump will find ways to pull the spotlight toward himself, even at an event designed to transcend any single figure. Democrats, meanwhile, have a more straightforward path than they sometimes allow themselves to see. If the party prioritizes affordability and speaks candidly to voters rather than relying on poll-tested platitudes, it stands to make meaningful gains in the House next fall. Expect a sharper digital operation as well, with Democrats expanding their presence on social media and podcasts to reach the audiences who may never see a traditional campaign ad. Much of the energy shaping the political conversation will come from younger Democrats stepping into the arena. Whether they follow or evolve, the blueprint advanced by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Zohran Mamdani, Robert Garcia, and others will signal how the next generation intends to wield power. And inevitably, the outlines of the 2028 presidential contest will begin to emerge. Figures like Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and Pete Buttigieg are likely to reassert themselves across the media landscape, vying for visibility in a political environment still searching for its post-Trump equilibrium. Donald Trump Chip Somodevilla/GettyImages Ryan Adamczeski , Staff Writer: While these predictions fall under satire, I maintain that they are “100 percent accurate” and that “any of these can legitimately happen.” Karoline Leavitt is going to quit in early 2026 for “personal reasons.” “Personal reasons” will be cited again when JD Vance and his wife, Usha, are revealed to be “living separately.” Vance will refuse a formal divorce because of his Catholic beliefs, but Usha will get sole custody of the kids. Pam Bondi will refuse to release the Epstein files due to an “ongoing investigation” — or she will release them scrubbed of all Republicans. Either way, she and the FBI director who replaces Kash Patel will launch an investigation into the 2026 midterms after Democrats sweep. Kristi Noem will open casting for the reality show where immigrants compete for citizenship, partnering with Wipeout and/or American Ninja Warrior . Trump will insist on hosting, and they will use AI to de-age him. AI will also be used at least once to cover up Trump falling asleep and/or being sick on camera during White House meetings. In culture, Ivanka Trump will attend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding, but will not get a plus one. Her brother Barron Trump will launch a career as either a podcaster or SoundCloud rapper. Finally, instead of Keith Urban’s “Pink Pony Club,” 2026 will see Jason Aldean’s “Not Like Us” performed at the White House. Uncensored. This article is part of The Advocate ’s Jan-Feb 2026 issue, which hits newsstands January 27. 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