GOP 'putting lipstick on a pig' to hide calamity — but it's not fooling voters: pollsters

Pollsters believe the GOP is "putting lipstick on a pig" ahead of what could be a complete blowout in the 2026 midterms.

With the election cycle just under a year away, Republican Party officials are scrambling to figure out a way through the midterms. It could be a blowout for the GOP, with recent mayoral and governor elections in New York and Tennessee showing the gap between the Democrats and Republicans is closing in some states, and has been completely overwhelmed in others.

Pollsters Douglas E. Schoen and Carly Cooperman, writing in The Hill, explained how the Tennessee election results, despite being positive for Republicans, could spell disaster for the GOP next year.

The pair wrote, "That a candidate such as Behn came within single digits in this dark red district should set off alarm bells for the GOP. It is not unreasonable to think a centrist Democrat could have won."

"The overarching takeaways are that Trump’s declining approval ratings, along with policy and messaging failures are weighing on Republicans, and Democrats stand a good chance to retake the House by tying GOP candidates to the president."

While Tennessee incumbent Matt Van Epps would praise Donald Trump in his victory speech, the 22 point gap won in the area last year was reduced to single digits. Further trouble is brewing for the president too, with his approval rating in freefall because voters know the GOP is trying to dress up the disaster of Trump's presidency.

The pair added, "Put another way, voters recognize Trump’s attempts to 'put lipstick on a pig.' With the power of his words increasingly losing effectiveness, if he cannot show genuine progress, voters will continue turning away from the Republicans."

"Taken together, Tennessee’s results raise an interesting point surrounding next year’s midterms. Whether Trump can arrest his declining numbers, particularly on the economy and affordability, remains to be seen. So far, he has shown little-to-no willingness, but the looming consequences of a Democratic-controlled House may force a course correction."

A former Democrat representative has warned, however, that Trump and the GOP do have it in their jurisdiction to refuse a majority turnover in the House, should midterm results fall that way.

The ex-Dem rep Steve Israel wrote, "It would be craven, but shockingly constitutional. And it would be hard for the courts to reverse. The possible hijacking of a Democratic majority would rest on these words: 'Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business."