Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell just became a lot more important

Published November 9, 2016 8:28am ET



In a shocking upset, Republicans will hold full legislative control of the federal government for at least two years: A majority in the House of Representatives, a majority in the Senate and, most shocking of all, the White House.

President-elect Donald Trump will be able to accomplish much of his agenda on his own, thanks to continuous expansions of executive power under previous presidents. He probably can’t build a wall without help from Congress, but he could crack down on illegal immigration more, especially through ending some of President Obama’s immigration executive actions. Trump could also reduce the number of refugees we accept, or even cut it down to zero.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.