Republicans are intensifying their midterm campaign, sending President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance into unexpectedly competitive states and committing millions in advertising as polls point to a close fight for Congress. Control of both chambers is at stake, leaving little room for the GOP to absorb losses. Voters could decide whether Trump has a Republican Congress for the final two years of his term.
While no single move proves the party expects defeat in November, seven recent developments show the GOP devoting money, presidential attention and increasingly urgent appeals to defending its control of Washington. Natalie Baldassarre, the Republican National Committee's (RNC) national press secretary, said the party had amassed a record campaign war chest, staged its first midterm convention and adopted new voter-turnout strategies because it understood the historical challenges of a midterm election. And White House spokesman Davis Ingle has repeatedly insisted that Trump "is working tirelessly to create jobs, cool inflation, increase housing affordability," saying that the President has "already made historic progress not only in America but around the world, and this is just the beginning as his agenda continues taking effect." Midterms often punish the president’s party, but six developments suggest Republicans see risks beyond that historical pattern.
None proves panic on its own; together, they show a party devoting money, star power and sharper messaging to defending its position. Speaking on the All-In Podcast, Vance acknowledged that “there’s a lot of work left to do” before asking voters to “give us another chance” in November. Rather than relying only on the administration’s record, Vance argued that Democrats would govern badly and urged Americans not to hand them either chamber.
That language suggests Republicans know some voters remain unconvinced by what the party has delivered. Republicans face an awkward strategic choice. Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has urged Americans to vote as though Trump were on the ballot, while some candidates in difficult races would prefer to focus on local concerns.
A CBS News survey conducted among 2,460 U.S. adults from September 8 to 11, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points for the full sample, found that 45 percent of likely voters viewed their congressional vote as opposition to Trump, compared with 28 percent who saw it as support for him. His endorsement made 48 percent less likely to back a candidate and 21 percent more likely. Making Trump central could mobilize loyal supporters who do not routinely vote in midterms.
But it also risks energizing opponents. Trump and Vance have started campaigning in places that would ordinarily offer the GOP more comfort. Trump traveled to North Carolina for Senate nominee Michael Whatley, while Vance went to Kansas to support Senator Roger Marshall.
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