Republicans have previously expressed extreme nervousness about their prospects in the 2026 midterm elections. From President Donald Trump's unpopular tariffs and lack of coordination with local candidates to the ongoing controversy over his meddling in how elections are conducted, the prevailing view is that Trump is so unpopular and difficult to work with, it might hurt Republicans who are already struggling politically due to the poor economy.
Now a new report reveals that Trump's plan is to do exactly what Democrats want him to do — make the election a referendum on his unpopular administration.
"Some GOP strategists favor focusing entirely on specific races in an effort to convince voters of the merits of individual candidates and local issues," wrote The Atlantic's Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Michael Scherer and Ashley Parker on Tuesday. "But Trump himself has rejected that approach."
They added, "The solution Trump settled on, according to three people familiar with the meeting, was to lean into the Democratic strategy of focusing on himself. The president ordered a series of television advertisements about his own record that will serve as a backdrop to the hundreds of individual House and Senate contests. Trump wanted what one person described to us as “environmental lift” ads—commercials that would focus on nationalizing the midterms broadly around his victories—and he suggested that the ad makers mine his own on-camera statements as building blocks. 'Go look at the clips,' the president told his team, according to this person. 'I cite accomplishments all the time.'"
Overall the GOP is alarmed that this approach might help Democrats focus on Trump's controversial administration.
"Republican political consultants have voiced concerns both publicly and privately in recent weeks about the triumphant tone of some of Trump’s economic messaging," reports the Atlantic. "Democrats see a familiar dilemma."
"You’ve got to take voters from where they are to where you want to go, and the only way to do that is to not dismiss in any way what they know—and what I mean by that is, you can’t go in playing ‘It’s Christmas Time’ when that’s the last holiday they can afford,' said Rahm Emanuel, who worked for the Obama and Biden administrations and is a potential contender in the 2028 presidential election. "They’re going to put you on mute."
