A House Democrat close with leadership put it bluntly: “The voters don’t want to talk about impeachment right now. … You don’t want to poke the bear in a way that he’s able to come back even stronger.”

The decision to tread lightly on the matter shows just how wary Democrats are of overplaying their hand. Many believe that Democrats have more than enough material to successfully impeach Trump, should they take the House — and privately, many Democrats think they would eventually do so if they seize the majority.

However, Democrats don’t want to make Trump seem sympathetic, especially before the midterm elections when they feel they’re very likely to win back the House for the first time in eight years. They also want to wait until special counsel Robert Mueller issues his report on any Russia collusion or obstruction of justice, which they believe will do nothing but bolster their case.