A forgotten 2004 scandal is back to haunt Trump’s GOP

After winning a second term by defeating Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004, Republican then-President George W. Bush suffered a major rebuke when Democrats flipped both branches of Congress in the 2006 midterms. Bush described the 2006 blue wave as a "thumpin'" for Republicans, and MS NOW's Steve Benen believes that President Donald Trump is setting his party up for a similar midterms fate in 2026.

During an appearance on The New Republic's podcast "The Daily Blast," Benen —known for producing "The Rachel Maddow Show" on MS NOW — cited a variety of ways in which Trump is digging a deep hole for Republicans in the 2026 midterms.

Benen told host Greg Sargent (a former Washington Post columnist), "I mean, here we are, 12 weeks out from the midterms. Polls showed that affordability and the cost of living are the number one issue on the minds of the vast majority of voters. And so, one would like to think that the head of the Republican Party, the sitting American president, would have the wherewithal to express some empathy and to say, 'Maybe I can try and help you. Maybe I care about the pain that you're dealing with right now, and I'm going to maybe promise you new policies or a better tomorrow in some way.' But no, he doesn't do any of those things."

Benen continued, "Donald Trump, instead, stands in front of a crowd full of supporters, mocks the very idea that they're suffering in any way, and denies any responsibility for the fact that he's to blame for these circumstances that people are suffering through."

The "Maddow Show" producer described Trump's recent comments on the economy and gas prices as a "gift handed to Democrats on a platter."

Benen told Sargent, "The head of the Republican Party just said he doesn't care about higher gas prices. He laughs off affordability as a scam. He doesn't accept responsibility for the fact that he's ultimately to blame for the fact that people are suffering through these higher costs, higher cost of living, higher prices. And so, I think you're quite right. For Democrats who are looking for a strategy for the final 12 weeks, for this home stretch between now and November — well, here it is. Donald Trump just handed it to you."

Benen noted that after his 2004 reelection victory, Bush "looked absolutely untouchable" — only for Republicans lose control of Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008.

Benen told Sargent, "History is repeating itself. They didn't really earn a mandate in 2004 or in 2024. They overplayed their hand. Americans rejected the poor economy and a failed war in the Middle East. And it's happening just like it happened then. It's happening again now."