Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on GOP’s midterm challenges
PBS News Hour – Politics — 2026-09-07 17:35:00 — www.pbs.org
Trump Pushes GOP to Make Midterms a Referendum on Himself, Urges Candidates to Embrace His Agenda
As the midterm elections approach, President Trump is making himself the central figure in Republican strategy, urging candidates to campaign as if he were on the ballot. According to reporting from a recent panel discussion, Trump’s theory is clear: he believes Republican voters will not turn out unless they feel he is directly involved in the race. The message Trump has repeatedly delivered is, “please, please, please vote as if Donald Trump is on the ballot.”
This approach is unusual compared to previous presidents, who typically try to avoid making midterm elections a referendum on their own presidencies. Historically, most presidents have framed midterms as a choice between parties, not a judgment on their own record. However, Trump’s calculation is that Republicans perform best when the election is seen as a direct contest between himself and Democratic opponents.
Despite this strategy, there are signs of hesitation within the party. Fewer than half of the Republican candidates in competitive races are scheduled to speak at the upcoming national midterm convention—dubbed “Trumpapalooza” by the Republican National Committee chairman—indicating that many candidates want to keep their distance from Trump’s brand.
On the financial front, there is uncertainty about how much Trump will invest from his campaign coffers to support Republican candidates. So far, MAGA Inc., the super PAC connected to him, has spent $10 million on ads in Texas attacking a Democratic candidate, but this is a small fraction of the $400 million reportedly available. Other allied groups have launched ad campaigns focused entirely on Trump himself, with no mention of the actual midterm candidates.
The focus on Trump, rather than individual Republican candidates or issues, is a notable departure from traditional midterm strategies. As the election season intensifies, it remains to be seen whether Trump’s insistence on making himself the centerpiece will help or hinder Republican efforts to regain control in Congress.
Conclusion
President Trump’s demand that Republicans run as if he were on the ballot marks a significant shift in midterm election strategy. While he believes this will energize his base, the reluctance of many candidates to appear alongside him and the limited financial support so far raise questions about the effectiveness of this approach. The coming weeks will reveal whether Trump’s gamble pays off—or whether it backfires for the GOP.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/tamara-keith-and-amy-walter-on-gops-midterm-challenges