Democrats quietly assemble legal teams as Schumer warns Trump will try to disrupt elections

Democrats are already assembling legal teams ahead of the 2026 midterm elections to prepare for potential interference from President Donald Trump. According to The Hill, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer confirmed the effort in an interview, saying Democrats fear attempts to disrupt the process before votes are counted.

Schumer said teams of senators and lawyers are reviewing every potential vulnerability in the election system. The focus is on ensuring votes are counted fairly, particularly because many election mechanisms are controlled at the state level. His concerns come amid other surprising political developments, like how Trump’s recent rapport with New York City’s socialist mayor has baffled observers, despite their ideological differences.

He described Trump as willing to do “whatever it takes,” adding that the president lacks respect for the law. Schumer said there is resistance to interference even in Republican-controlled states and expressed confidence that Democrats are prepared to meet the challenge.

This preparation reflects lingering concerns about election interference

Democratic concerns stem from Trump’s history of disputing election outcomes he does not favor. After losing the Iowa GOP caucus in 2016, he alleged fraud and called for an investigation, a pattern that intensified during the 2020 election cycle.

In 2020, Trump repeatedly claimed the only way he could lose was if the election were “rigged,” a rhetoric that preceded the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Those claims subsided following his 2024 victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris. Another recent political sidebar shows the ongoing intriguing commentary from figures like RFK Jr. about Trump’s personal habits, which continue to make headlines.

Trump has also acknowledged the difficulty his party faces in midterm elections. He said this week that the president’s party “always loses” in midterm years, even when it believes it has performed well during the first two years in office.

Despite these risks, Schumer remains optimistic about Democratic prospects in 2026. While analysts widely expect Democrats to be competitive in efforts to retake the House, the Senate map is more challenging, requiring multiple Republican seats to flip while defending vulnerable Democratic races.

Schumer said the gap between winning the House and the Senate has narrowed as Democrats have unified around issues such as healthcare and affordability. He argued those issues are resonating with voters and expanding the party’s path to victory.

Another complicating factor is redistricting. Trump and his allies have pushed states to redraw congressional maps to benefit Republicans, prompting Democratic-led states, including California, to pursue similar strategies.

Strategists from both parties warn that aggressive map-drawing could blunt the size of any potential wave election.