Almost from the moment the scope of the Democratic Party’s victory in the midterm elections became apparent, U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez has emphasized the urgency and imperative for Democrats to deliver tangible results to improve the daily lives of Americans.

Ramirez, who represents Illinois’ 3rd Congressional district, told me voters gave Democrats a mandate that is both powerful and precarious, formidable but potentially fleeting. The American public is worried, angry and impatient and they want action and change. She said this is not the time for Democrats to spike the political football or take a leisurely victory lap.

“We need to be fighters. We need to push a bold agenda immediately. We can’t sit back and wait until we have a president of our party in the White House in 2029. People are tired of incremental change. They want a populist economic agenda that allows them a chance for a better, more dignified life,” she said.

Ramirez argues Democrats should be bold and ambitious and defer any thoughts of dealmaking and compromises until much further down the road. She seems unconcerned about potential Senate filibusters, presidential vetoes and Democratic divisions. However, these realities hampered Democrats two decades ago when they dramatically won control of Congress in 2006 and then struggled mightily for two years to meet the expectations of their base.

Democrats should begin, Ramirez says, with an aggressive 100-day agenda that reverses Medicaid cuts, extends the Affordable Care Act subsidies, “claws back” funds from the Department of Homeland Security, ends the president’s disruptive tariffs, places tough control over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, cuts off funding for the Iran war and passes affordability legislation.

Ramirez has emerged as a strong voice in the Democratic Party, based on her compelling personal story, engaging personality and clear policy agenda. The daughter of Guatemalan immigrants to the United States, Ramirez grew up in Humboldt Park, graduated from Northeastern Illinois University and began her career as a community activist and nonprofit leader.

She was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2018 and was known as a passionate progressive interested in getting things done and being willing to negotiate compromises.

Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022, her initial campaign blended economic populism with an emphasis on family and community stability. Political analysts now are calling this blend a model for future Democratic electoral success.

Ramirez sits on the Homeland Security and Veterans’ Affairs committees and is a leading member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which grew to more than 100 members following the midterms, making it a major force among House Democrats.

The Progressive Caucus is calling for a concentrated effort to pass affordability legislation and has drafted 10 bills that seek to cut costs for prescription drugs, groceries, housing, utility bills, childcare and gas. Ramirez says the affordability agenda may be presented as a comprehensive package but also could be divided into individual bills to highlight the specific problems they are trying to solve. “We have to move quickly. We have to be able to run and chew gum at the same time.”

Ramirez is eager to push legislation she is convinced will make the country stronger such as increasing the minimum wage, passing Medicare for All, expanding Social Security and ultimately abolishing ICE.

Congressional Democrats returned to Washington last week energized by their large majorities in both chambers in 2027. These numbers will give Democrats legislative breathing room but could cause factions to battle among themselves to bring their respective agendas to the forefront.

The centrist New Democrat Coalition, now chaired by Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, has more than 140 members. Its agenda tackles many of the same issues as the progressives but in a more cautious and incremental way.

House Democratic leaders, especially presumptive Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, face a challenge: How to unify moderates and progressives to create legislation that can pass the House and also address the tangible concerns of Americans. This especially relates to the “affordability crisis” which is easy to lament on the campaign trail but far more difficult to tackle in Congress.

Norman Ornstein, a long-time congressional expert at the American Enterprise Institute, told me Democrats should be bold and aggressive in the way Ramirez suggests. However, he adds Democrats have set expectations for the American people that they must meet. “Run on affordability, you better improve affordability,” he says.

“Now comes the hard part,” Ornstein adds. “Business as usual won’t cut it.” He warns Democrats need to avoid being seen as “just another group of politicians stuck in a system that most Americans now view with disdain and distrust.” Ornstein believes unless Democrats “show an ability to bring change to stalled, tired systems, their tenure in the majority will be short-lived.”

Ramirez understands the fragility of the moment. She was disappointed by several procedural blunders by House Democrats during the first week of the lame-duck session, including the unsuccessful impeachment of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Democrats’ failure to demand a recorded vote on a Republican-drafted veterans bill she believes is seriously flawed.

Democrats, she declares, must have a coherent legislative strategy and also be tactically skilled and procedurally adept. “I’m really excited that we have the opportunity to pass the boldest agenda in decades, but I’m a little nervous that we get so excited by the moment that we lose our focus. We have a very short time to persuade the American people that we are fighting for them and can deliver,” she said.

Persuading the American people to balance their expectations with patience may be the most difficult challenge Congress will confront over the next two years.

John T. Shaw is a professor at Marquette University’s Les Aspin Center for Government in Washington, D.C. His most recent book is “The Education of a Statesman: How Global Leaders Can Repair a Fractured World.” 

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