With the 2026 midterms a little over seven months away, Democratic strategists are feeling cautiously optimistic. Democratic candidates have enjoyed a series of special-election victories in 2026, including some in GOP-leaning districts — and President Donald Trump continues to suffer from weak approval ratings in poll after poll.
In an op-ed published by The Hill on April 1, Democratic strategist Brad Bannon argues that the worse GOP infighting becomes between now and November, the better it will be for his party.
"Two dramatic and traumatic events in recent days illustrate the fragility of the unholy coalition which brought Donald Trump to power only ten years ago," Bannon explains. "These divisions increase the odds for a big Democratic win this November. The first mega MAGA meltdown occurred at the annual confab of the Conservative Political Action Committee. The group's chair, Matt Schlapp tried to warn the crowd that a Democratic midterm takeover of the House of Representatives would lead to Trump's impeachment. Failing to read the room, he asked the right-wing faithful if they favored their Dear Leader's removal. The crowd reacted with cheers and applause. Schlapp responded that was the 'wrong answer.'"
Bannon continues, "It certainly wasn't the response he expected…. Then, things got really ugly with a sharp split between House and Senate Republicans just before the congressional holiday recess. The Republican congressional majority left our nation's capital without passing a new budget for the immigration enforcement agencies."
Bannon argues that while Democrats are "singing in harmony," Republicans "sound discordant notes."
"There also exists a sharp split between Republican identifiers and MAGA supporters," Bannon observes. "One out of every five rank-and-file Republicans disapprove of Trump's performance, but only one in ten MAGAs give him a bad grade. Midterm elections loom like the Sword of Damocles over the right-wing extremists that call Trump 'daddy.'"
Bannon adds, "April showers bring May flowers, and Republican divisions in the spring bring Democratic additions for the fall."
