WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress returns to a changed Washington as president-elect that of Donald Trump The far-right agenda is quickly taking shape, backed by enthusiastic Republican allies who envision comprehensive reform. power sweep at the Capitol as Democrats try to figure out what went wrong.

Even as the final election results are still being counted, House and Senate leaders are moving toward a second Trump term in the White House and what he calls a “mandate” to govern, with mass deportations, industry deregulation and wholesale evisceration of the federal government.

Trump is already testing standards of governance during this presidential transition period – telling the Senate to abandon its role of advice and consent and simply accept his office nominated – and he is endow its administration and find legislators willing to circumvent these civic traditions.

“Trump is going to proceed with his deportations, with the drilling, with the wall — it’s going to take all of us together,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a conservative member of the House Freedom Caucus.

But first, House and Senate leaders will hold intra-party elections this week for their own jobs. Most top Republican leaders depend on Trump for their political sustenance and have worked for get closer to the president-elect to consolidate loyalty.

President of the House Mike Johnsonwho is poised to hold on to a slim majority in the House while several House races are still too early to call, will assemble his leadership team early Tuesday on the Capitol steps for a victory lap and establishing the agenda.

In the Senate, where Republicans took power from Democrats on election night, three Republican senators, vying to become new GOP leader rushed to accept Trump’s plan to quickly confirm presidential nominees.

“As Congress returns to Washington, we must prepare the Senate advance this agenda legislatively and ensure that the President-elect can hit the ground running with confirmation of his appointees as soon as possible,” Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, who is seeking the leadership post, wrote in a Fox News opinion piece. .

All told, this is a fundamental overhaul not only of the power centers in Washington, but also of the rules of government, as Trump returns to the White House in January with a potential Congress led by the Republican Party that is far less skeptical or suspicious of his approach than eight others. years ago, and much more willing to support it.

“This is going to be a very difficult time,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

She described the “horrible immigration policies” Trump promised voters and insisted that congressional progressives would provide “effective oversight” of the new White House, much like Democrats have done. during his first term fighting efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. and other policies.

At the same time, Jayapal warned that Trump would have “far fewer restrictions.”

“Our members are ready to get back into the fight,” she said, alongside a handful of newly elected progressive lawmakers she called “shining lights” joining Congress.

The first tests will take place during the “lame duck” It’s the remaining days of this Congress, the eight-week sprint until Jan. 3, 2025, when new lawmakers will be sworn in.

As lawmakers return this week, they will be joined by dozens of new names in the House and Senate who are in town for freshman orientation weeks and private leadership elections scheduled for Wednesday.

But Republican senators are protesting against the fact that one of their own, newly elected Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, is being excluded from orientation week by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer because there are still uncounted ballots in his race. Schumer’s office said it was standard practice to wait until all ballots were counted.

The Senate leadership race to replace outgoing GOP leader Mitch McConnell is turning into a test of loyalty to Trump, with the president-elect’s allies — including billionaire Elon Musk and Make America Great Again influencers — pushing senators to elect Senator Rick Scott of Florida.

But Scott was not the most popular candidate for the leadership post, and senators rallied around the two “Johns”: Thune, the second-ranking GOP leader, and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. The outcome of Wednesday’s private vote behind closed doors is very uncertain.

In the House, some conservative Republicans are quietly suggesting that their own leadership elections should be postponed until final House election results are known. Democrats will hold their House and Senate elections later.

Johnson wants to keep the president’s gavel and told his colleagues in a letter last week that he was willing to “take the field” with them to implement Trump’s agenda. But he is expected to confront his detractors behind closed doors.

While Johnson only needs a simple majority in Wednesday’s private vote to become the GOP nominee for president, he will need a majority of 218 members in January in a floor vote. the entire House.

A low vote total this week will show the leverage Freedom Caucus members and others have to extract concessions from Johnson, just as they coerced the then-president. Kevin McCarthy in an extended vote for the gavel in 2023.

And while Johnson predicts that next year will usher in the “most consequential” presidency and Congress in modern times, he has struggled this year to lead Republicans who have refused to go along with his plans, forcing the president to often associating with Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Johnson’s problems stem in part from his slim majority, but that could persist if Trump continues to appeal to House Republicans to win elections. fulfill its administration. Trump has already asked the representative. Elise StefanikRY, will be Ambassador to the United Nations and Rep. Mike WaltzR-Fla., to be his national security adviser.

“We’re pretty much maxed out,” said Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas. “Everyone understands that.”

In the coming weeks, Congress faces another Dec. 20 deadline to fund the federal government or face shutdown, and conservatives are doubling down on pressure on Johnson not to give in to their demands for cuts. expenses.

The House and Senate will also consider replenishing the Disaster Relief Fund to help provide relief in the wake of hurricanes. Helene And Milton.

And as President Joe Biden prepares to leave and Democrats relinquish their hold on the Senate, there will be pressure to confirm more judicial nominees and to introduce any other bills that could potentially become law before Trump don’t take power.

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Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri, Mary Clare Jalonick and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

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