Democrats are optimistic about regaining control of Congress ahead of the midterm elections, but should they win, the decision on whether to impeach Donald Trump for a third time has divided the party. Some view it as a constitutional duty, while others worry it would overshadow their economic agenda.

Democrats are increasingly optimistic about retaking control of Congress in next month's midterm elections—to the point where even some Republicans have all but resigned themselves to losing the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. If the House—or both chambers—changes hands, one of the most significant decisions facing Democrats could be the third impeachment of Donald Trump; a choice that involves more than just a simple calculation of the numbers.

"We certainly haven't confirmed anything, and we haven't ruled anything out," House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries told PBS late last month. He stated that Democrats would "follow the facts, apply the law, be guided by the Constitution," and "let the chips fall where they may."

This prospect has divided the Democrats. Former Democratic Representative Joe Cunningham told *Newsweek*: "Frontline members need to persuade independents and, in many cases, Republicans. That isn't achieved by constantly serving up partisan 'red meat' like impeachment." He warned that impeachment "sucks the oxygen out of Washington and overshadows almost everything else."

Rahm Emanuel, former White House Chief of Staff under Obama, is among the most prominent opponents of the idea. On Sunday, she told NBC: "The short answer: No. It goes nowhere and turns into a food fight." Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth also said: "Don't impeach anyone... let's just get back to work."

The House of Representatives has impeached three presidents on four occasions: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998, and Trump in 2019 and 2021. All resulted in acquittal in the Senate. A Gallup poll in December 1998 showed that 63 percent opposed Clinton's impeachment, and his approval rating reached 73 percent. Trump's first impeachment did not alter his approval rating, and following his second acquittal, 52 percent believed he should have been convicted.

Proponents of impeachment argue that abandoning it risks rendering a constitutional safeguard ineffective. David Frumkin, a law professor at the University of Houston, said: "The Constitution's high threshold for impeachment failed to withstand partisan politics." Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said: "If you ask me whether I support impeachment, yes." Ro Khanna has stated that impeachment could establish constitutional standards without resulting in removal from office.

Trump is already using this prospect to rally Republicans. He said this month: "Please pretend I am on the ballot. If we don't win, they will impeach me." Steve Scalise has warned that Democrats "will impeach the president on day one." Mike Johnson said, "If we lose the House majority, the radical left will impeach President Trump."

For Emanuel and Cunningham, the risk is that Trump might mobilize Republicans and divert attention away from the financial advantage. For proponents of impeachment, the risk lies in allowing serious misconduct to go unanswered. Democrats must first win the House. If they do, Jeffries’s pledge to follow the evidence could force a choice that is complicated by both constitutional duty and political calculation.