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is more likely.
Optimistic:
Dems take the house by a small amount; not an enormous wave, but enough to continue momentum into 2020. Investigations into Trump gain more steam, illegalities become harder for rank and file Republicans to deny (yeah, it's kind of a daydream). Trump decides it isn't fun anymore, announces he won't run for reelection, Pence loses by a landslide in 2020, while Democrats grow in house and take the Senate by a comfortable margin. Then the rebuilding begins. Republicans will be too demoralized to put up much of a fight in response for a few years (yeah, kind of a daydream). It's like 2008-2010 all over again, but we hopefully keep the momentum going from there (yeah...)
Pessimistic:
Dems take the house by a comfortable margin in 2018. But then Trump can more convincingly play the victim, which is his favorite tactic, so his popularity starts rising. House Democrats, pushed by pseudo-progressives who haven't thought things through, conjure up a legally thin impeachment case and send it to the Senate where it's DOA. They hold a trial that gets ugly, super-partisan, and doesn't come anywhere near 60 votes. It only serves to make Democrats look petty (much like the Clinton impeachment trial did for Republicans). Trump turns up the victimhood game even further, popularity skyrockets to like 55% and he sails to reelection. Democrats lose the house again, Democrats blame each other for what went wrong, can't make a plan to respond in (sigh) 2022, GOP rule for the foreseeable future.
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