2018 Campaign

Republicans Tout Growth, Grapple with Inflation Concerns

September 11, 2026 at 4:18 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Republican faithful, gathered in arena hallways and hotel ballrooms during this week’s midterm convention, projected confidence they had a good story to tell on the economy,” Bloomberg reports.

“Some pointed to the steady unemployment rate and stock market growth as evidence of a new ‘Golden Age’ driven by a resilient economy and American consumer, while others argued immigration and manufacturing policies were yielding a better life for U.S. citizens.”

“Still, a latent anxiety hung over Dallas. The reality — that polls suggest voters are in fact quite anxious about the state of the economy, and preparing to punish Republicans in November’s midterm elections — has become hard for even President Donald Trump to ignore.”

Trump Tells Republicans to Vote or ‘Go to Hell’

September 11, 2026 at 5:51 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“He’s promising to pay you $5,000. He’s asking you to swear an oath. He’s telling you you’ll ‘go to hell’ if you don’t vote November 3,” Politico reports.

“President Donald Trump spent the last two days in Dallas trying every which way to convince his GOP base to turn out for the midterms and re-elect a Republican Congress.”

“We’ll know in 53 days if it worked.”

Fears of a Democratic Wave Push Texas to Center Stage

September 10, 2026 at 10:09 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Republicans selected Dallas for their unusual midterm gathering in large part out of convenience. It’s a big city accustomed to big conventions, in a Republican-friendly state where they could confidently pull off a relatively last-minute event of the scope desired by President Trump, party officials said,” the New York Times reports.

“But Texas is not just the incidental backdrop for an event aimed at a national television audience; it took center stage for much of the convention. The focus was a sign of the growing concern among Republicans that a wave of Democratic enthusiasm could even breach Texas’s red wall in November.”

Trump Boasts of Packed House at Half-Full Arena

September 10, 2026 at 5:57 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“‘This place is packed,’ President Trump said, looking out at a red-capped and rhinestoned crowd. ‘Not only is this packed, but you have an equal number of people standing outside,'” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“There were no lines outside of American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas on the sweltering first night of the Republican Party’s midterm convention. The arena’s upper deck was nearly empty. The middle tier, only slightly fuller. A frantic energy circulated in the foyers as staff ushered attendees onto the convention floor before the president took the stage.”

Democrats Play Up Trump Probes During GOP Convention

September 10, 2026 at 9:33 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“As counterprogramming to Republicans’ two-day midterm convention — in which they are heavily touting President Donald Trump’s achievements — a handful of House Democrats descended upon Dallas to speak about their investigations into the president and their long-standing investigation into convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein,” the Washington Post reports.

Trump to Send $500 ‘Obamacare Rebates’ Before Election

September 10, 2026 at 5:38 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Trump administration plans to send $500 rebate checks to as many as 1 million people who it says were overcharged for their coverage under Obamacare,” Axios reports.

“The direct-deposit payment would be sent to people in 30 states before the Nov. 3 midterm election, as Trump touts savings from his tax-cut legislation and prescription drug plan.”

Trump Heads to Dallas Ahead of Promised Campaign Blitz

September 8, 2026 at 6:27 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Donald Trump on Wednesday will head to a Republican midterm convention that will offer clues about the message he intends to deliver when he hits the campaign trail for a 30-day October blitz before Election Day,” Roll Call reports.

“The GOP leader is set to address the party faithful Wednesday and Thursday nights, including prime-time remarks on the second evening from the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The midterm convention begins this election cycle’s homestretch, which will kick into high gear when Congress adjourns later this month for its pre-election recess.”

“While several vulnerable Republican lawmakers are staying home to campaign, Trump and his team are hopeful that the Dallas gathering, which will feature over 100 speakers, will help break what polls show is some momentum for Democratic candidates. The president could also signal how active he will be in the cycle’s final weeks — and just where he intends to campaign.”

Politico: Republicans hope Trump won’t dominate Dallas.

How Democrats Plan to Investigate Trump’s Ballroom

September 8, 2026 at 9:30 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“If Democrats win control of the House in November, party leaders plan to turn the final two years of the Trump era into a barrage of investigations over alleged corruption and contempt for the law,” Time reports.

“Much of the scrutiny would be expected to come from the Judiciary and Oversight Committees, the traditional engines of congressional investigations. But another, less prominent committee could emerge as an unlikely center of the fight: the House Natural Resources Committee.”

“The 45-member panel has oversight over virtually all federal lands, giving it jurisdiction over a striking collection of controversies that have defined President Trump’s second term. That includes his efforts to remake Washington, D.C. by building a White House ballroom and a triumphal arch, and the troubled renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. It also covers the Administration’s efforts to open up national parks to an unprecedented amount of hunting, fishing and drilling.”

A Blue Wave Could Hit Governors’ Races, Too

September 8, 2026 at 6:29 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Ed Kilgore: “Democrats have reason to hope that a ‘blue wave’ in the midterm elections, fed by Donald Trump’s unpopularity, will help them flip the House and maybe even the Senate this year. National dynamics are typically less decisive in state elections, including the 36 gubernatorial elections on tap.”

“But nationwide trends do shape the electorate that will vote up and down the ballot, so Democrats expect gubernatorial gains, too.”

Republicans Find There Is No Escape From Trump

September 6, 2026 at 5:40 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“In the White House Rose Garden last week, President Trump gathered some of the most politically endangered House Republicans for a dinner where he promised to make himself the face of the party’s uphill battle to keep control of Congress,” the New York Times reports.

“The scene encapsulated the box that GOP lawmakers have found themselves in as they stare down a bleak political environment.”

“They cannot afford to snub Mr. Trump, needing help from his enormous financial reserves and strong turnout from his base to win their campaigns. But they also do not want the election to be a referendum on the president, whose popularity is at a record low. And so far, he has shown little appetite for focusing on anyone’s political needs besides his own.”

Some Republicans to Skip GOP Midterm Convention

September 3, 2026 at 2:14 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Ahead of next week’s Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas, which is set to tout President Donald Trump’s record at a time when he still faces low approval ratings and a negative political environment, several battleground Republicans said that they either aren’t going to the convention or are still undecided,” ABC News reports.

Trump Says He’ll Campaign for Republicans in 35 Races

September 3, 2026 at 5:56 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Donald Trump pledged Wednesday to hit the campaign trail for Republican candidates in 35 races this fall in the lead-up to the November midterm elections,” NBC News reports.

Said Trump: “I’m going to take the final 30 days, and maybe a little bit more than that, because it’s all about 35 races. I’m going to go to every one of those 35 places, and we’re going to see if we can get everyone elected.”

NOTUS: Trump’s great American road trip.

Primary Season Draws to a Close

September 2, 2026 at 10:58 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington Post: “Only three states still have primary elections pending before the crucial midterm elections to determine which party controls Congress during the last two years of President Donald Trump’s term.”

“New Hampshire and Rhode Island hold elections next week, and the final primary of the season will be in Delaware on Sept. 15.”

See the Political Calendar for the latest.

Democrats Return to Washington Eager to Flip House

August 31, 2026 at 9:26 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Democrats are seen as the overwhelming favorite to win back the House in just over two months. They aren’t looking to leave anything to chance,” Bloomberg reports.

“At least a couple dozen House Democrats are defending purplish districts this fall, and even more blue candidates are vying to flip Republican-held seats.”

“Democratic groups’ ad spending is ramping up in districts everywhere from Florida to Arizona to Washington state, with messages laser-focused on the cost of living — particularly healthcare.”

Clyburn Says Impeaching Trump Shouldn’t Be Priority

August 30, 2026 at 11:44 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) on Sunday said that Democrats should not prioritize impeaching President Donald Trump if they win control of the House in the upcoming midterm elections, but instead should focus on making life more affordable for Americans,” NBC News reports.

Government Equity Stakes Face Election Risks

August 29, 2026 at 10:35 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Traders have made a bundle over the past year following President Donald Trump as the U.S. government pursues an unprecedented strategy of taking ownership stakes in publicly traded companies,” Bloomberg reports.

“But with the deeply polarized midterm elections approaching and polls suggesting the Democratic Party is likely to win a majority in at least one house of Congress, market strategists see rising risks of the administration’s equity positions.”

Some Democrats Trying to Reclaim the Issue of Faith

August 17, 2026 at 7:30 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“For years, Republicans have had a lock on those who base their vote on their religious preferences and values, but this year’s midterm elections have seen some Democratic candidates sharing their faith to try to connect with voters,” ABC News reports.

“Starting in the 1980s, in what one expert called an ‘exodus,’ there was a shift of voters to the Republican Party based on moral issues.”

“But in some of the most critical races that will help decide control of the next Congress, several Democrats are openly sharing how their faith shapes them and their politics.”

Could Abdul El-Sayed Cost Democrats Michigan?

August 16, 2026 at 5:51 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Nate Cohn: “When the midterm election campaign began, Michigan seemed like a state that Democrats could take for granted in their pursuit of the Senate. Yes, it’s a presidential battleground state, but that makes it the kind of state that Democrats would ordinarily win easily in what seems like a strongly Democratic midterm cycle.”

“It’s not a state Democrats can take for granted anymore. There are clear signs that the newly minted Democratic nominee, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, could underperform a typical Democratic candidate’s vote share by enough to endanger the party’s chances.”