After hammering Gen. David H. ­Petraeus on the progress of the war in Iraq, congressional Democrats now seem ready to change the subject.

Senior Democrats in both chambers say a new emphasis on domestic themes is needed to broaden the party’s appeal both to swing voters and to liberals who have been vocal with their frustrations.

“The truth is we don’t have the votes to end the war,” said Democrat Kent Conrad of North Dakota, who chairs the Senate Budget Committee.

“We’re going to try to move the things that we can move on domestic issues like student loans, education and children’s health care and energy. These are places where we can have tangible accomplishments. And we hope to give people greater confidence in what Congress is doing.”

“This election is shaping up to be about change. Not only change in Iraq, but change at home,’’ said Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York, who is vice chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus and head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Focusing on domestic measures would broaden efforts to persuade voters to retain and expand the Democratic majorities on Capitol Hill, Schumer said.

He and other senior Democrats face tough choices on looming veto showdowns over spending bills and the renewal of major programs such as a proposed expansion of the state children’s health care program (HR 3162, S 976).

“We’re going to develop a strong message for middle-income families on taxes, education, health care. These are things we will try to emphasize,’’ said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.

“We feel these issues represent where the American people are at,’’ agreed Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.

“The Democratic message has to focus on things that are good for the middle class,’’ said Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado. “The war should not be the only issue.”

Not long ago, Democrats enthusiastically made Iraq their big issue.

But this week, after the hubbub of the Petraeus hearings subsided, Speaker ­Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., declined to even discuss whether there would be an Iraq vote in the House this month. “We’ll see,’’ she said, noting the crowded floor calendar before the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. “There are so many issues now.”

Pelosi kicked off her fall push on domestic themes at a Sept. 6 news conference to promote the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), where she was surrounded by youngsters in lime-green T-shirts.

That was an echo of the opening day of the 110th Congress, when she summoned the children and grandchildren of the rank and file to the rostrum. Last week she listed her party’s priorities: “Our children, our children, our children. Their health. Their education. The economic security of their families. The retirement security of their grandparents. A . . . safe environment in which they can thrive, and a world of peace.”

In addition to trying to reauthorize SCHIP, Pelosi said in an interview that she wants to renew the 2001 No Child Left Behind education law (PL 107-110) rather that trying, for now, to develop a short-term extension.

Democrats are also racing to complete a reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration that will likely raise fuel taxes on general aviation to help finance a new generation of air traffic control equipment.

Developing a global warming bill that would provide for a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions also is high on the Democrats’ list of goals.

“In the next short period of time, we hope to do a lot of things,’’ Pelosi said.

In addition to an expected conference report on SCHIP, Democrats expect to bring to the House floor this month a proposal (HR 2015) to ban job discrimination against homosexuals.

Pollster John Zogby says there is strategic value to Democrats stressing domestic themes, but the amount of political payoff remains to be seen.

“Democrats have not been able to deliver what their base wants on the Iraq War,” he said. “Liberals support withdrawal, but swing voters are not with them.

“Now, Democrats are trying to emphasize domestic issues that are good, important issues for Democrats. It’s unclear how much effect this will have on the base, which is focused on the war,” Zogby said.

Former Rep. Leon Panetta, D-Calif., (1977-93) said Democrats were under pressure to cut deals to prevent domestic priorities from being stymied like their Iraq agenda.

“The problem is that they are stalemated on Iraq,” said Panetta, who also served as White House chief of staff under President Bill Clinton. “They must get other things done. It isn’t enough to get things passed in order to get vetoed or filibustered.”

For their part, Republicans have focused their attacks on the stalemate over the war, and the slow progress on the annual appropriations bills with the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year just weeks away. Many lawmakers agree that a stopgap funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, or CR, will be needed to prevent a government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins.

Several GOP leaders, such as Adam H. Putnam of Florida, who chairs the House Republican Conference, said they expect that Democrats and the White House will find common ground on a continuing resolution that will give both parties time to resolve spending differences, averting a showdown similar to the government shutdown crisis of 1995.

“They have spent a disproportionate amount of time politicizing Iraq, instead of focusing on the bipartisan solutions that are out there on health care, fiscal accountability, education and the farm bill,’’ Putnam said. “A CR is out there and makes the most sense right now. It’s good for the taxpayer.”

Meanwhile, the domestic debate will be as prominent as the majority can make it.

“We’re going to have a strong domestic agenda,” said Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California. “Many voters will vote for the candidate that can best get us out of Iraq. But voters also want to have a sense that this person is the best equipped to take care of me, my family and my community.”