Fox News host flags 'warning sign' for Republicans: 'Coming to a city near you!'

Fox News host Dana Perino flagged a warning sign for Republicans in upcoming elections on Monday during the network's show, "The Five."

The panel discussed the Democratic Party's chances of flipping Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in an upcoming election, a seat that is deep in Trump country. Perino, a former press secretary during George W. Bush's administration, warned that Democrats could over-perform in the district, which would continue to feed the party's momentum going into the 2026 midterm.

'I've been saying this since the beginning when Zohran Mamdani came on the scene," Perino said. "This is coming to a city near you! This is where the energy is."

"Whoever is in the White House typically has a hard time in that first midterm," Perino added.

Historically, incumbent administrations have lost House seats during their first midterm, according to voting data from The American Presidency Project. During Trump's first term, he lost 40 seats in the House but gained two seats in the Senate.

Losing seats in the House this time around could significantly hinder the president's agenda. Losing control of the House would give Democrats oversight authority over the president's administration, and they would have more influence in the budget process.

The GOP currently has a six-seat majority in the House. Three Republicans recently announced their resignations: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Troy Nehls (R-TX), and Mark Green (R-TN).

The Republicans are hoping to retain the TN-7 seat by running the Trump-endorsed Matt Van Epps, a candidate Perino described as "amazing."

"He's patriotic and he's willing to serve," Perino said. "And it's still this close. I do think that he will win, but the fact that it is close is a warning sign to Republicans everywhere that this Democratic energy from the far left is not going to stop."

Polling shows Democrats are within single digits in the race, even though Trump carried the district by more than 20% in 2024.