Republican Anxiety as Trump Becomes a Midterm “Ball and Chain”

Republican leaders and candidates in competitive districts are expressing growing concern that President Donald Trump’s declining popularity could jeopardize the party’s chances in the upcoming midterm elections. Moderate Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska warned that the president’s numbers are a “ball and chain” that may be hard to overcome, reflecting fears of losing swing voters in the Midwest and elsewhere.

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President Trump has announced that his personal record will dominate the GOP’s midterm messaging. He also suggested that voter dislike is directed at Congress, not at him.

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Within the party, strategists such as Kevin Madden argue that candidates are better served by emphasizing local issues instead of national party branding. Some House hopefuls have skipped the GOP convention in Dallas, and a number of incumbents have removed Trump references from campaign websites. Senate Republicans are also uneasy after Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a candidate described as “scandal-ridden,” over well-funded Sen. John Cornyn.

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A Reuters/Ipsos survey released last week found that only 35 percent of Republican voters “strongly approve” of Trump’s job performance, while his net approval sits at 33 percent—the lowest level of his presidency. These figures illustrate the empirical basis for the party’s strategic recalibrations.

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• “I’m fearful that the president’s numbers are a ball and chain that will be hard to overcome,” — Rep. Don Bacon, of Nebraska, a moderate Republican

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• “I mean, you can’t be insulted by it. There’s nothing you can do about it.” — Donald Trump, president

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