The 2026 midterm elections will be remembered for a seismic shift in American politics, as the era of Donald Trump comes to a definitive close. The most striking symbol of this change is the political demise of the Trump-backed candidate in Ohio's gubernatorial race, Vivek Ramaswamy, whose campaign imploded after running an ad featuring the mother of his opponent, Dr. Amy Acton, calling her a liar. The ad, which dredged up Acton's traumatic past—her mother fled with an abusive husband who was charged with raping Acton—sparked widespread outrage. Even Ohio's Republican governor, Mike DeWine, urged Ramaswamy to pull it, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer endorsed Acton, declaring Ramaswamy had crossed a line.
Trump and JD Vance initially doubled down, with Trump calling the ad political gold and Vance telling Republicans to stop whining, but the backlash forced Ramaswamy to spend $1 million before yanking it. This episode underscores a broader trend: Trump's once-unshakeable grip on his base is slipping. His rallies now draw sparse crowds, and even a dozen Catholic bishops who prayed over him quickly distanced themselves, with Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob apologizing for the pain caused and Denver Archbishop James R. Golka insisting it was never an endorsement.
Americans are deeply dissatisfied with Trump's performance on the issues that matter most: high gas and grocery prices, urban violence, mass deportations that tear families apart, and a new war with Iran—all broken promises from his 2024 campaign. His approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows, and his focus on gold-littered White House decor and a reflecting pool rally has only fueled the sense of betrayal. Barack Obama's jab comparing Trump's taste to Saddam Hussein's Cheesecake Factory captures the public's mood.
Yet, the path forward is uncertain. Democrats are wrestling with how to address healthcare, AI-driven job losses, housing, childcare, and the Iran War. But the midterms offer a glimmer of hope: in Kansas, Adam Hamilton, a pastor, is competitive for a Senate seat Democrats haven't won since 1932, and in Texas, James Talarico, a state senator and seminarian, is running ahead in the polls for a seat the party hasn't held since 1988. These races signal a hunger for leaders who embody virtue and moral example, as opposed to the anything-goes rhetoric of the Trump era.
This shift echoes past presidents like Jimmy Carter, who promised a government as competent and compassionate as the American people, and Ronald Reagan, whose personal conduct was praised by even his political opponents. As Montesquieu argued, virtue is the spring of republican government. The 2026 elections suggest those springs are moving again, but the Trump era is over—its cause of death: political suicide.
For more on how Democrats could check Trump's power, see this analysis of potential majorities. And for a look at the latest polling, check Trump's disapproval numbers.
