All posts tagged "republican party"

'No Republican wants to run': GOP strategist gives grim read of Trump's impact on midterms

Republican Party candidates are hesitant to align themselves with Donald Trump and his cabinet in the run-up to the midterm elections, an analyst has claimed.

Trump had previously put the Republican Party under pressure with a push to introduce the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. Key provisions of the SAVE Act include ending mail-only voter registration, implementing nationwide photo ID requirements, restricting mail-in ballots except for military, illness, disability, or travel, and mandating rules to purge noncitizens from voter rolls.

Republican candidates have since been urged to soften their alignment with Trump's administration, with strategists counseling a race-by-race approach rather than nationalized messaging around the president. An unnamed GOP strategist told Reuters, "We have to break out of that and show race by race why we’re the better choice."

Further actions in Iran and unpopular domestic policy have fractured the GOP, with strategist Barrett Marson calling on Republicans to distance themselves from Trump should they wish to stand a chance in the election cycle.

Marson, a GOP strategist in Arizona, told The Washington Post, “No Republican wants to run on ‘I stand with Donald Trump’s retribution tour'. There is no doubt that the vast majority of non-MAGA voters want Trump to focus on anything but his personal animus toward a wide variety of people."

The Post reporters Isaac Arnsdorf, Liz Goodwin, and Theodoric Meyer also noted disapproval ratings for Trump and his cabinet would weigh heavily on the minds of voters.

They wrote, "Two-thirds of Americans said Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems in a CNN survey conducted late last month, up from 52 percent in February 2025 and higher than at any point in his first term."

Further analysis from veteran Republican leader Newt Gingrich gave a view into how poorly the midterm elections could go for the GOP.

“If the election were in May, Republicans would lose,” said Gingrich. “The war, the sense of affordability, and gasoline – some of that has to be cleared up in order to win. If it doesn’t change, I’ll start tearing my hair out.”

Long-serving GOP strategist Mike Murphy also noted the "panic" within the party at the moment, adding, "I can't imagine a worse scenario than the one he [Trump] is in right now. The Democrats – not because they’ve done anything, but because they’re not Trump – have surged.”

'Disenchanted' group will deal Trump major blow at midterms: ex-White House economist

A draft of voters will abandon the Republican Party at the midterms later this year, according to a former Joe Biden staffer.

Jared Bernstein, who served as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, has claimed that a major voting pool is more likely to vote against Trump and the GOP than for them in November.

Speaking with Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, Bernstein said, "There are the Never Trumpers, the Always Trumpers, and then this really key group in the middle that’s pretty dispositive in terms of which way they swing, and it’s dispositive in terms of determining election outcomes.

"Some people call them 'persuadables.' So they rolled the dice, and they bet on the wrong pony. Whoops, I mixed the metaphor. But you get what I’m saying.

"And now they understand that they’ve bet on the wrong guy and that their prices are right back to where they were. And in fact, inflation, if anything, has accelerated because of decisions Trump’s made.

"It’s not just that he’s ignored affordability or called it a hoax; it’s that he’s pushed hard in the wrong direction on these things. And this key middle group—which I think is behind some of the numbers you posted this morning — is very disenchanted by what they’ve seen."

GOP strategists have also recently urged candidates to break from Trump and his team if they wish to survive this election cycle.

Trump's decision-making in office, particularly over the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, could be a hindrance to GOP representatives hoping to hold or gain seats at the midterm elections, according to some insiders. An unnamed GOP strategist told Reuters, "We have to break out of that and show race by race why we’re the better choice."

GOP strategist urges candidates to break from Trump ahead of midterms

A Republican Party strategist is urging candidates to break from President Donald Trump when pitching themselves to voters ahead of the midterms.

An unnamed GOP political strategist told Reuters that candidates must break from previous party claims that they were "going to try to nationalize the election and say we’re a rubber stamp for Trump."

But Trump's decision-making in office, particularly over the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, could be a hindrance to GOP representatives hoping to hold or gain seats at the midterm elections. The unnamed GOP strategist told Reuters, "We have to break out of that and show race by race why we’re the better choice."

Trump made the SAVE Act a centerpiece of his second-term agenda, declaring in March 2026 that he would not sign any other bills into law until the SAVE Act reached his desk.

The legislation would require voters to provide proof of citizenship to register, fundamentally reshaping voter registration processes nationwide. Key provisions include ending mail-only voter registration, implementing nationwide photo ID requirements, restricting mail-in ballots except for military, illness, disability, or travel, and mandating rules to purge noncitizens from voter rolls.

An optimistic meeting helmed by Trump's team at the Waldorf Astoria on Monday has done little to quell concerns flagged by strategists.

Details of the meeting were leaked, suggesting that Trump's team is far more optimistic about the midterm elections than they should be. The meeting was held a day before Virginia voters approved the new congressional map Democrats drew to favor their party in November.

One person familiar with the meeting said, "If the people framing this approach are confident about Virginia and they get beat in Virginia, you have to ⁠question, are they overconfident about the whole package?"

“The politics have changed,” said another one of the people familiar with the meeting. “In January, nationalizing the race around him made some sense. Voters don’t feel the president is doing enough to make their lives cheaper, but they still believe Republicans want to do that,” the person said.

David McIntosh, president of the Trump-aligned Club for Growth, added, "The panic is people looking at things right now, but I think the key is to project where it could be over the summer, and it's still very fluid."

'They're just sad': GOP splinters over Trump-pushed bill with little support

President Donald Trump has seemingly cooled on pushing the SAVE Act through the Senate, but the GOP is splintering under the weight of the bill.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act is legislation championed by President Donald Trump that would require voters to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Trump has made the SAVE Act a top legislative priority, declaring in March 2026 that he will not sign any other bills into law until the SAVE Act reaches his desk.

Key provisions of the SAVE Act include ending mail-only voter registration, implementing nationwide photo ID requirements, restricting mail-in ballots except for military, illness, disability, or travel, and mandating rules to purge noncitizens from voter rolls.

Some Republican Party representatives, such as Mike Lee, are still pushing for action on the SAVE Act in time for the midterm elections, while others within the party are willing to give up on passing the bill.

Lee has since been criticized by party members for continuing to push the SAVE Act at a time when the GOP is focusing on other, more pressing issues.

Anonymous party reps noted the change in Senate mood over the SAVE Act, which NOTUS reported had been removed as a proposal as the GOP focuses on passing a budget resolution for the Department of Homeland Security.

“It’s gotten to the point of being beyond annoying. They’re just sad,” one Senate Republican said. “First of all, how do you have the time to do all of this? And how is this a priority in a serious institution of intellects discussing big stuff?”

“I think maybe the realization that we don’t have the votes for this is finally sinking in,” a separate Republican said. “I feel like [the pressure campaign] has sort of dissipated. … Maybe people are tiring of it — all except for [Lee] and a few others. Even the president hasn’t been talking about it as much.”

A third Republican official said that the party must now move on from the SAVE Act and it is simply too late to action it. "That horse has left the barn," they said.

GOP lawmakers blast Mike Johnson over new 'delay game' because he doesn't 'have the votes'

GOP lawmakers have slammed Speaker of the House Mike Johnson for delaying a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security.

The prolonged closure has left employees at the Transportation Security Administration and other DHS agencies without regular pay, creating significant operational challenges across the department. The core dispute centers on funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol operations.

Senate Democrats have signaled firm opposition to Republican proposals that would provide unrestricted resources to these agencies without substantive immigration reform provisions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that a House Republican continuing resolution aimed at ending the shutdown would be "dead on arrival" in the chamber.

Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune eventually agreed to pass a bipartisan Senate funding bill that reopens the DHS agency without ICE or Border Patrol funding.

But Johnson is facing criticism from GOP figures for initially opposing a Senate plan to fund the DHS excluding ICE. A week after ridiculing the Senate funding plan, Johnson fell in line with President Donald Trump who endorsed the funding proposal.

An anonymous Republican Party member believes Johnson does not have the backing required to pass a bill that would include Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding. They told The Hill, "I don’t think Johnson has the votes. There continues to be a delay game.

"First it was Johnson said we want to see you pass the budget resolution. Now it sounds like, ‘We want to pass the whole reconciliation [package].' I don't think there's anything we can do."

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, added that this would likely be the final chance to address the funding issue.

Norman said, "This will probably be the last reconciliation we do before the end of the year. We got the break coming up, and it’s just we got to address — we got to put more to it than just this."

Senate Republicans voted yesterday (April 23) to allocate as much as $140 billion to ICE. The budget resolution was passed by a 50-48 vote. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has warned that payroll funding will be exhausted by early May if the shutdown continues.

Jeering memes backfire as MAGA finds new darling: GOP expert

MAGA has found a new darling in a Donald Trump cabinet member as Vice President JD Vance looks to be sidelined, an expert has claimed.

Trump voting members of the public backed Marco Rubio, who seems to be gaining importance in MAGA circles for his multiple roles in government. The Atlantic analyst Sarah Longwell noted the changing tide for Rubio, who appeared to be benefiting from his vast number of titles.

Longwell wrote, "Rubio currently serves as secretary of state and national security adviser, and until recently he served as acting USAID administrator and acting archivist of the United States. Voters see the memes tweaking Rubio for having such a laughable number of important titles and think he must be doing something right.

"Another reason voters seem to like Rubio: They see him as the 'adult in the room.' This is understandable. Looking smart and sober is relatively easy when you’re surrounded by the likes of Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Even Trump himself—with his garbled speech and incoherent ramblings—makes his underlings seem more credible by comparison. All of that accrues to Rubio’s benefit."

Trump voters who spoke at a focus group overseen by Longwell suggested that Rubio is seen as a more preferred lead candidate for the Republican Party at the 2028 election than Vance.

Steve from Florida said, “Marco Rubio, my former senator, is doing great as secretary of state. He will be a great president too.” Dave, a two-time Trump voter from West Virginia, added, "He’s wearing multiple hats right now. I think he’s doing a good job in his role. I think he speaks well.

"I’d prefer to see him continue to stay in one of these State Department roles. Or if Trump makes him the new ayatollah or something, maybe he can do that as well."

Those who once thought highly of Vance now believe their support must lie with other candidates. Adam, a two-time Trump voter from California, noted, "I think the well is poisoned. I think that he [Vance] sold his soul in a way, and he’s adopting the divisive, dismissive stance that his boss does, to curry favor, secure his position. So unfortunately, he revealed a part of himself that there’s no returning from."

Sam from Minnesota, a Gen Z Trump 2024 voter, added, "I just don’t like Vance a lot. I think he has flip-flopped on issues. If you look at what he was about in 2018, 2019, or 2020, and you look at what he’s about now, it’s very, very different. I'd love to see Marco Rubio [run in 2028]."

GOP losing confidence on ICE bill fight that could easily 'derail': analysis

Members of the Republican Party reportedly feel less confident about pushing through a Department of Homeland Security bill that includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding.

The DHS has faced a protracted funding crisis as negotiations between Democrats and Republicans have stalled over competing demands regarding immigration enforcement agencies. The partial government shutdown has lasted more than a month, leaving employees at the Transportation Security Administration and other DHS agencies without pay.

The core dispute centers on funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol operations. Senate Democrats signaled opposition to a House Republican continuing resolution aimed at ending the partial government shutdown, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stating the proposal would be "dead on arrival" in the chamber.

The Washington Post reporters Riley Beggin and Theodric Meyer both noted that some within the GOP are aware of the slim margin the party has in passing the funding bill.

They wrote, "Some House Republicans are demanding assurances that there will be another chance to pass remaining GOP policy priorities before the end of the year if they support a narrowly written ICE and Border Patrol funding bill.

"Republicans have an extremely slim majority in the House, and a small handful of objectors could derail the plan. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Missouri) wouldn’t rule out demanding additional measures in the immigration funding bill, saying he’s 'not confident' there will be another reconciliation bill."

Burlison added, "I think we're wasting an opportunity. This may be the last train that leaves the station."

Markwayne Mullin, who was drafted into the DHS to replace the outgoing Kristi Noem, has also sounded the alarm on the state of the department and its finances.

He said that a $150 billion immigration enforcement budget, which is used to pay employee wages, will soon run out. Speaking during an appearance on Fox and Friends Tuesday (April 21), he said, "That money is dried up, if I continue down this path, the first week of May. My payroll through DHS is just over $1.6 billion every two weeks.

"So the money is going extremely fast, and once that happens, there is no emergency funds after that."

GOP senator publicly scolds Trump for taking allies 'for granted'

A Republican senator has broken ranks to criticize President Donald Trump's remarks about allied nations.

Trump has resumed his longstanding criticism of NATO, questioning the alliance's utility and threatening to withdraw U.S. support if member nations don't increase defense spending.

Jerry Moran (R-KS) urged unity with NATO members, with Trump consistently criticizing the intergovernmental organization for its lack of support for the United States' war in Iran.

Writing in The Hill, "Shared interests bind alliances together. The U.S. is stronger because of the willing and able partners in Europe with whom our global interests largely align. At a time when our nation’s own budgetary pressures and backlogged industrial base limit our ability to sustain force in multiple theaters simultaneously, we cannot afford to take them for granted. Indeed, we need them now more than ever and should treat them accordingly — as the valued allies they are."

Members of Trump's cabinet were also critical of NATO's refusal to back the bombing of Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced Trump's position by criticizing NATO for not backing the Iran war, suggesting the alliance lacks commitment to U.S. strategic interests.

However, Rubio simultaneously acknowledged NATO's crucial value, noting the alliance provides critical basing rights for U.S. military operations globally.

NATO allies have expressed significant concerns about Trump's unilateral decision to wage war against Iran without seeking alliance consultation or approval.

When Trump asked NATO for assistance, he was rebuffed by several member nations concerned about the legal justification for military action.

According to three European diplomats and a Pentagon official “familiar with the plan,” the list “includes an overview of members’ contributions to the alliance and places them into tiers,” and was drafted as a means to help the Trump administration look “for ways to punish allies who refused to back the Iran war,” Politico’s report reads.

“They don’t seem to have very concrete ideas… when it comes to punishing bad allies,” a European official told Politico on the condition of anonymity. “Moving troops is one option, but it mainly punishes the U.S. doesn’t it?”

GOP strategists sound the alarm on possible Senate loss: 'Momentum has shifted'

The Republican Party could lose the Senate following the midterm elections, a selection of party strategists has claimed.

GOP personnel believe a blue wave could hit the party in the November elections, and it may mean losing their majority in the Senate. A dire prediction has been made by party insiders, with Michigan-based GOP strategist Jason Roe pinpointing the war in Iran as a vote loser this fall.

"Momentum has shifted to Democrats," he told Politico. "They do still have an uphill battle, but when you look at what the map looks like today and what we thought it would look like a few months ago, it’s very different."

An unnamed Georgia-based GOP strategist gave a more positive reading on the situation the party faces. They said, "If combat operations are over in the summer, there’s plenty of time for the dislocation of gasoline prices, which I think is really the primary concern here. I think that will return to normal."

Though some analysts are waiting to see if the war in Iran cools off by summer, others believe that Donald Trump's administration and their statements have made life harder for Republican Party officials.

An Iowa-based strategist said, "They say the right things strategically, and then they don’t execute them where you want them to be better."

Former Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Renacci has sounded the alarm too, saying the party is on unsteady footing in the lead-up to the midterm elections. He said, "I think we’re back in 2018 where the headwinds were against Republicans.

"I mean, I ran against Sherrod Brown in 2018 and the national electorate was about a D plus 6 to 8. I think we’re getting about that same place in Ohio."

Iowa-based GOP strategist Morgan Bonwell has called on the party to unite behind one candidate to salvage their chances of beating Jon Ossoff. Bonwell said, "Republicans really need to unify behind one candidate to beat Jon Ossoff. I don't think they can continue, or afford to continue, beating each other up."

GOP activists giving up hope on the party's future due to Trump's war: report

Republican Party activists are concerned that Donald Trump's war with Iran will cost the party in the midterm elections and more, a Wall Street Journal report is showing

Representatives and activists fretted over the longer-term impact of the war, with some suggesting voters are already turning on the party. Todd Blodgett, a Republican activist in Iowa, told the Wall Street Journal that there is a "darkening" mood in his state ahead of the midterm elections.

"What optimism I did feel pretty much evaporated with this war,” he said. "President Trump is doing what needs to be done, but the price of fertilizer has doubled in Iowa and gas is up 35% to 40% a gallon." Fellow GOP member David Schweikert (R-AZ) simply said, "It looks dour."

Wisconsin Republicans have also sounded the alarm on the party's future with the Iran war lingering as a major issue for some voters. In Wisconsin, the state GOP’s executive committee is said to be meeting today (April 18) to discuss the leadership of Chairman Brian Schimming after a recent state supreme court loss.

A statement from Schimming, seen by the WSJ reads, "We need to focus on joining together and building our movement to advance victories in November."

Thomas Galvin, a Republican Maricopa County supervisor, has also suggested the GOP is not prepared appropriately ahead of the midterms. He said, "I think everybody would be in agreement that the Republican Party is the underdog this November."

Dade Phelan, a Republican Texas state representative, believes the party could lose enough seats in Texas alone to pave the way to a Democratic Party majority in the House of Representatives.

He told the WSJ that swing voters are more likely to gravitate towards the Democratic Party candidate, James Talarico. "There's definitely a nervous buzz," he said.

Estimates show at least eight Texas state House seats flipping in November, and possibly up to the 14 needed to give the majority to the Democrats.

The MAGA movement too has fractured sharply over Trump's Iran war, with prominent figures breaking ranks to oppose the conflict. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the war a betrayal of MAGA principles while Tucker Carlson challenged GOP leaders on their lack of Iran policy knowledge.