GOP lawmakers believe a blue wave is on the way but what they do not know yet is how high the wave will be.
Speaking anonymously, a collection of Republican Party members believe they are set for a rough time in the midterms, irrespective of voter turnout. History has shown the party in opposition can make major gains against the party in power, as was the case for the Senate majority flip to Democrats in 2006.
"There’s going to be a blue wave," one anonymous GOP rep told The Hill. "If there was a Democrat in power, there’d be a red wave. It’s the major of midterms.
"The question is it going to be 2 feet, 5 feet or higher than that. It’s still too early to predict what’s going to happen, but clearly we’re more on the defense."
Another unnamed lawmaker believes the party can already feel the change in the air, and that they are not optimistic about their results in the upcoming midterms.
They said, "Republicans are right to be worried about the midterms. You can feel when the water temperature changes, and it feels like it’s going to change in a second."
A third lawmaker suggested the Texas special election loss for the GOP is "a wake-up call" ahead of the midterm elections. They said, "Senators are saying more and more loudly that they’re very, very concerned about the environment, that it’s continuing to deteriorate. They say it over and over again."
A new report has since suggested GOP lawmakers have tired of Donald Trump and his negotiating tactics. The report cited instances such as Trump's threats to acquire Greenland and his trade negotiations with allies, such as Canada, as examples of Trump blustering and backing down.
Trump has consistently claimed that his unpredictability was one of his negotiation tactics that helped him get the upper hand. But The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Trump's allies and adversaries appear to be "waiting him out" or "turning away" as they wait for the president to calm down, rather than endure the "abrupt starts, stops, and humiliations that can accompany engaging with him."