U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 17, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Even before he began launching military strikes against Iran in late February, U.S. President Donald Trump had weak approval ratings in countless polls. But the war certainly isn't helping. Polls released in late March or April find Trump's overall approval at 37 percent (CBS News), 39 percent (University of Massachusetts, Lowell/YouTube) or 36 percent (Reuters/Ipsos).
With the 2026 midterms less than seven months away, many GOP strategists are sounding the alarm. According to reporting from Politico, however, Republicans in Congress are hoping that focusing heavily on taxes will distract voters from the war.
Politico's Meredith Lee Hill, in an article published on April 13, explains, "Republicans return to Washington this week eager to promote the pocketbook benefits of their nine-month-old megabill ahead of Tax Day. But the fallout from the war in the Middle East threatens to complicate that election-year message. Explaining away rising gas prices and spiking inflation is not where GOP lawmakers wanted to be seven months before the midterms, but that is the challenge they face as a ceasefire with Iran proves tenuous and there is scant evidence global energy flows will return to normal anytime soon. That's not to mention the host of internal policy battles further distracting GOP lawmakers as they return from a two-week recess."
Hill continues, "Still, they are seeking to rally this around the glue that has held their fractious coalition together — tax cuts — with Trump going on the road this week to tout the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' and House Republicans planning a Wednesday all-member news conference, according to two people granted anonymity to discuss the plans ahead of an announcement."
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-New York) is encouraging fellow House Republicans to prioritize discussion of taxes ahead of the midterms.
Malliotakis told Politico, "My constituents are saving thousands of dollars, and they know it. Republicans can and should take credit because the alternative would've been massive tax hikes under the Democrats had they won the 2024 election."
A GOP lawmaker, interviewed on condition of anonymity, told Politico that taxes are "all we have to run on," adding, "Do you see us turning out other big-ticket legislation? This is it."