Why More Trump May Not Save Republicans in the 2026 Midterms

The GOP’s problem heading into the 2026 midterms has been obvious for months and so visible that you could see it from space: Democrats are enthusiastic to register their dissatisfaction with Trump at the polls. Republicans are, by contrast, relatively tuned out.

Donald Trump’s remedy for the GOP’s ennui is to give them what he thinks they want: himself. “Pretend I’m on the ballot,” the president told Fox News’s Trey Gowdy. “I see it all the time,” he added, “that when Trump’s on the ballot, they win.” That’s a line Trump has deployed on the stump as he beseeches his supporters to spare him the wrath of a Democratic majority. He’s even going so far as to say “please.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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The GOP’s problem heading into the 2026 midterms has been obvious for months and so visible that you could see it from space: Democrats are enthusiastic to register their dissatisfaction with Trump at the polls. Republicans are, by contrast, relatively tuned out.

Donald Trump’s remedy for the GOP’s ennui is to give them what he thinks they want: himself. “Pretend I’m on the ballot,” the president told Fox News’s Trey Gowdy. “I see it all the time,” he added, “that when Trump’s on the ballot, they win.” That’s a line Trump has deployed on the stump as he beseeches his supporters to spare him the wrath of a Democratic majority. He’s even going so far as to say “please.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.