Democrats are gaining ground across a string of Senate contests that could determine control of Congress this November — and even traditionally Republican states are suddenly looking competitive.
New polling by RealClearPolitics shows GOP candidates trailing Democrats in eight major Senate battlegrounds, raising the prospect of a brutal election night for President Donald Trump’s party.
Republicans were already bracing for a difficult fight to hold onto the House, where the party faces the historical disadvantage that typically comes with occupying the White House during a president’s first midterm.
So far, Trump’s influence over the Republican Party remains formidable, with 261 of his 270 endorsed candidates winning their primaries so far — a 96.7 percent success rate, according to Ballotpedia.
Recent victories include Darline Graham in South Carolina and Mike Mazzei in Oklahoma, adding to Trump’s impressive record heading into the November midterms.
But there’s also been a series of bruising problems this primary season, with a growing list of his hand-picked candidates crashing out despite receiving his coveted endorsement.
Among those defeated are embattled Florida Congressman Cory Mills, former Commerce Department adviser Catalina Lauf and Wyoming gubernatorial hopeful Megan Degenfelder, who all lost on the same night in August.
Donald Trump keeps trying to preemptively blame congressional Republicans if they lose big in the 2026 midterms — but he’s now making an argument that’s flat-out wrong.
His talking point in a recent interview underscored how culpable he would be if his party loses this fall.In the interview with Fox News host Trey Gowdy that aired Sunday, Trump appeared to confirm reports that his midterm efforts will largely focus on touting his own record. ‘I’m going to go out, and I’m going to campaign like I did for myself,’ he said.
