Why the election could make Washington's looming next fiscal crisis harder

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks next to U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on the day U.S. President Donald Trump meets with top congressional leaders from both parties, just ahead of a September 30 deadline to fund the government and avoid a shutdown, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sept. 29, 2025. Jonathan Ernst | ReutersWashington's next fiscal crisis looms right around the corner. Fixing it could be hard. Analysts project the U.S. will breach the $41.1 trillion debt ceiling at some point in 2027, requiring Congress to raise or suspend it before the Treasury Department runs out of "extraordinary measures" to avoid a catastrophic default. If Democrats capture one or both chambers of Congress in November's midterm election, it would open the door to a standoff as the party tries to extract policy wins from Republican President Donald Trump in exchange for averting a bumpy ride over the fiscal cliff. Trump last week also proposed a $5,000 dividend for every American if Republicans win the midterms — a move that could bring the U.S. to the debt ceiling faster....