Conservative commentator Erick Erickson is warning Republicans that sticking with President Trump's post-election strategy will lead to another devastating defeat in 2028. In a pointed critique, Erickson argued that the party needs to confront reality after last week's midterm shellacking, rather than embrace Trump's baseless claims of a rigged election.
“The Republicans are going to get pummeled in 2028 if they don't figure this out,” Erickson told NewsNation's Lauren Wright. “The message to Republicans needs to be, get over your denial. You got your butt kicked because of tariffs, the war, prices, immigration and also corruption.”
Trump initially accepted the midterm results but has since flooded Truth Social with unfounded accusations of voter fraud. In one post Monday, he asked, “Does anybody really believe that this 'Election' was honest? It's all about the machines.” Erickson expressed surprise that Trump and his team would double down on such claims and other unpopular positions, noting that past presidents have typically adjusted course after midterm setbacks.
“The bigger shock really is that the president and the White House have decided to double down as opposed to pivoting after the election,” Erickson said. “Clinton, Bush, Obama and even Biden, to a degree, all pivoted after midterms. Trump's going to double down.”
The GOP's losses were driven in large part by Trump's unpopularity, fueled by inflation, tariffs, and the fallout from the Iran war. Democrats captured Senate seats in traditionally red states like South Carolina, Kansas, Texas, and possibly Mississippi, where the race remains too close to call.
Initially, some Republicans, including Vice President Vance, blamed the Iran war for the party's poor performance, and there was talk of intra-party pushback. But the party quickly closed ranks, uniting to block an impeachment effort against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, selecting Rep. Jim Jordan as House minority leader, and quashing a challenge to Senate leader John Thune.
Trump also signaled continuity with his base by naming immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles. This move came after a brief hint of openness to immigration reform, but Miller's appointment suggests Trump is digging in rather than reaching out.
Erickson cautioned Republicans that standing with Trump could be politically suicidal. “This is Donald Trump being Donald Trump, and the party needs to realize that he's now a lame duck and they're going to have to start moving on from him,” he said.
The warning comes as Trump prepares to honor veterans at Arlington amid the Hegseth impeachment fallout, and as his $1 coin raises alarms over political branding. For Republicans, the question is whether they can break from Trump's grip before 2028.
