With Democrats set to take control of Congress in January, a prominent conservative voice is urging Republicans to cancel their holiday recess and spend the next 60 days aggressively advancing former President Donald Trump’s policy agenda.
In an op-ed for American Thinker, Judd Dunning argues that the GOP has no time to mourn its midterm losses—instead, it must act swiftly to confirm judges, pass permitting reform, finalize the budget, and strengthen state-level protections before power changes hands.
The Clock Is Ticking
Republicans still hold a narrow Senate majority and the House until January 3, but Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats in the midterms, including shocking victories in Texas. Dunning insists the GOP must use its remaining legislative days to lock in lasting conservative victories.
“A Republican who goes home for December is voting for a Democrat January,” he writes, calling for an all-hands-on-deck approach to pass must-win legislation before the new Congress convenes.
The Five-Point Plan
Dunning outlines a five-part strategy for Republicans to maximize their final weeks in power:
1. Confirm every remaining judicial nominee. With 16 Article III judges pending—including nominees for key appellate courts—Dunning warns that any unconfirmed picks will have to be resubmitted to a Democrat-controlled Senate. Lifetime appointments, he argues, are the GOP’s best chance for a lasting legacy.
2. Pass permitting reform. A bipartisan bill to speed up energy infrastructure approvals could lower gas prices and curb climate regulations. Dunning calls it “the most direct answer Congress can give to $4.12 gasoline.”
3. Finalize the budget now. With only three of twelve appropriations bills passed, Dunning urges Republicans to avoid a stopgap measure that would let Democrats dictate spending priorities next year.
4. Pass the defense bill. The House-approved NDAA includes border security provisions and military funding that could die if not finalized before January.
5. Red states must act. Even as some states flip blue, Dunning says Republican legislatures should cement tax bans and other conservative policies in state constitutions while they still can.
No Time for Grieving
Dunning dismisses any post-election introspection, framing the moment as a battle for America’s survival. He points to Reagan’s 1982 midterm losses—followed by a 49-state landslide in 1984—as proof that comebacks are possible.
“They’ll run this country into the ground, and then we’ll take it back,” he writes. “That’s America.”
But first, he says, Republicans must use every tool left to them: investigations, veto threats, and executive authority to counter Democratic control. The alternative, he warns, is surrender.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/11/no-time-to-grieve/