GOP hits new panic level over midterms: 'We have to survive that political storm'

The Republican Party leadership has reportedly given up hope of retaining control of the House as they shift money to make sure they don’t suffer the same fate in the Senate.

GOP lawmakers are becoming less reluctant to blame President Donald Trump for the upcoming midterm “bloodbath,” Politico reported on Wednesday morning. Five senior Republican lawmakers, all granted anonymity to speak candidly, told the outlet the chamber was effectively lost. One senior House Republican said the party’s goal at this point was to “save as many Republican seats as we can,” and that Trump wasn’t helping.

“President Trump has made this election all about himself,” the lawmaker said. “Now we have to survive that political storm.”

A second Republican member of Congress told Politico the movement of campaign advertising showed which side was in control of the midterms and predicted Democrats would pick up about 10 seats, more than enough for a majority. Even in newly redistricted red states like Florida and Texas, this person said, Republican candidates were “hanging on with their fingernails.”

"Republicans have already fallen back from several contested House districts that they feel are no longer winnable, including those held by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa and Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey," the Politico report notes. "Trump carried their districts just two years ago. The party last week gave up on an Omaha-based district held by retiring Rep. Don Bacon."

Bacon said there was no mystery in his party’s troubles. “I’ve talked to some who are making these decisions: The biggest problem is the president’s polling numbers and unfavorables,” he told Politico.

The report notes that Trump officials and top GOP operatives expect more candidates to be cut off in the coming days so advertising money can go where it can make more of a difference.

Meanwhile, Republicans are "under heavy pressure" across the Midwest, where they are spending heavily to defend Senate seats in Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. In recent days, Politico reported, the Congressional Leadership Fund "canceled advertising" for key House candidates in Nebraska and Iowa and let the Senate Leadership Fund take the airtime to support Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska and Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for Senate in Iowa.

“These are not the moves of a party that’s going to keep the House,” a third Republican lawmaker told Politico.