President Donald Trump has a knack for uniting his opponents. He has offended Democrats, alienated independents, and now, with the midterm elections just weeks away, he is turning off Republicans too. This is hardly a recipe for success, and the signs are ominous for the GOP.
According to a New York Times report, there are growing indications that dispirited Republican voters may simply stay home in November. The constant chaos, the feuding, the daily drama—it's all taking a toll. One former Republican state legislator from Michigan told the Times, "People are tired. The whole divider-in-chief thing, it's gotten to the point where it's just exhausting." That sentiment is likely shared by many.
Trump's response? He is telling Republicans to vote as if he were on the ballot. But that plea may backfire. Some Republicans might take his advice and decide that staying home is the better option. Trump has always been his own biggest fan, and he seems to believe that if he loves himself, everyone else should too. But reality may be different.
The president's pitch is simple: vote Republican or face dark days. He warns that a Democratic Congress would bring disaster. But if Democrats take the House—and possibly the Senate—the dark days will be for Trump and his party. They will suddenly face the consequences of losing control, and the oversight will be relentless.
Impeachment is on the table. While some savvy Democrats may see a third impeachment as a political mistake, the hard left will push for public humiliation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, if he becomes speaker, may cave to those pressures. Democrats will likely find something to call a high crime—deportations, pardons, the East Wing demolition, the Iran war—and they will not stop with Trump. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other loyalists could face subpoenas and hearings.
The investigations will be endless: the Trump family business, Jeffrey Epstein, tariffs, the White House ballroom, attacks on the media, and even taxpayer-funded ads that flatter the president. Democrats might try to subpoena Trump himself, but he will likely ignore them. They may have better luck with his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, though she is unlikely to talk. Still, the political theater will be enough to keep cable news busy for years.
None of this is inevitable. Polls have been wrong before. But the trend is clear: Trump's approval ratings are underwater, and midterms are a referendum on the president. The Cook Report's latest analysis shows 11 House races moving toward Democrats, reinforcing the GOP's worry. Ohio polls also show Democrats leading in key statewide races, suggesting a broader shift.
If the results are as bad as Republicans fear, the postmortem will begin almost immediately. Trump will blame the media, rigged elections, RINOs, and anyone else in sight. But one thing is certain: he will find someone to blame, and it won't be himself.
