Rep. Ted Lieu Predicts Democrats Will Retake House Despite Redistricting Setbacks

California Rep. Ted Lieu, vice chair of the Democratic Caucus and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on May 10, 2026, from Los Angeles.

Brennan asked Lieu, a Democratic leader, about Republican advantages in redistricting following recent court decisions. Lieu disagreed that Republicans hold a nine-seat edge, calling the figure based on outdated data from last term. He said the Trump coalition has collapsed due to skyrocketing gas prices and surging inflation. Polling and special election results this year and last show Republicans with at most a three- to five-seat advantage, he added. That margin will not stop a Democratic wave in November, Lieu said. He called the Virginia Supreme Court's ruling outlandish and urged Democrats to fight on and win the midterms.

Brennan noted Democrats spent more than $60 million on Virginia's redistricting effort and asked if those funds would have been better used on frontline candidates. Lieu called the court's action wrong and disgraceful. It forced Virginia to hold an election with taxpayer money, then nullified the results, he said. The court could have prevented the election altogether and suckered voters, Lieu charged. Most Democratic spending there came from (c)(4) funds, not direct campaign money needed for midterms. Taxpayers still lost money due to the court's actions, he said.

Brennan asked if Democrats would keep fighting in court. Lieu said they would explore all options and continue the battle. Of Virginia's four seats, Democrats expect to win two in the midterms, he predicted.

Lieu affirmed Democrats can retake the House. Brennan pressed for his main message. Voters chose Donald Trump for lower costs, but he lied, Lieu said. Surging inflation, skyrocketing gas prices and Trump tariffs have raised product costs nationwide. People face debt and high bills. Democrats will cut health care costs, lower expenses overall and reduce energy bills, he said.

Brennan recalled Democrats shut down the government over health care without policy gains as premiums rose. Lieu countered that the House passed a three-year extension of ACA tax credits and urged the Senate to follow. Once in control, Democrats will reverse Trump and Republican cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and the ACA from last year, he said.

On foreign affairs, Brennan cited Secretary Rubio's comment that Taiwan would feature in President Trump's summit with Xi Jinping. Taiwan's parliament approved $25 billion for U.S. weapons on Friday. Lieu said Democratic and Republican administrations alike seek to maintain the status quo and deter Chinese missteps in the Indo-Pacific. The Iran war proves the need for a new strategy there, he said. In any prolonged conflict with China or Russia, U.S. defensive munitions will run out. Stocks already dwindled in under 60 days against Iran's second-rate military, which hit multiple U.S. bases. Overseas bases would be obliterated in a bigger fight. Lieu called on the Pentagon to deliver a new defense strategy to Congress.

Brennan noted Trump's large arms sale promises to Taiwan. Lieu agreed the U.S. cannot deliver because stockpiles are depleted and the industrial base lags. Some missiles take long to produce; the U.S. makes just 96 of certain types yearly.

Brennan raised a New York Times report on a possible Trump executive order for AI oversight. Lieu, a former computer science major, called it horrible for AI to run wild without reasonable guardrails. Audio issues ended the segment.