“Republican leaders are barreling towards a lame-duck period when they plan to fund the government, address the debt ceiling and push through a must-pass defense authorization bill — all while tempering the expectations of members who have their sights set on a reconciliation package many believe won’t materialize,” the Washington Sun reports.

“The party in power is staring down a lengthy must-do list and an even lengthier wish list, especially if they lose one or both chambers come Nov. 3. While the midterm results will determine the top priorities, members are already fretting about the looming issue of fitting 10 pounds into a 5-pound sack.”

Said one senior Senate Republican aide: “I think our appetite’s definitely going to be bigger than what our stomach can hold on this one.”

“Neil Bush, the brother of former President George W. Bush and son of former President George H.W. Bush, said Tuesday that he voted for Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race while criticizing President Trump and ‘those who have enabled him’ for causing ‘enormous damage to the Republican Party,'” CBS News reports.

Said Bush: “My vote was motivated by two things: deep concern about Ken Paxton’s record and genuine admiration for the character and principles I see in James Talarico.”

“Republicans are already starting to blame each other as the midterm election spirals further out of their control,” Politico reports.

“Everyone is bracing for President Donald Trump’s ire if the party loses big in November. House Republicans are planning to accuse the Senate side. Trump political aides have taken to directly calling campaigns they feel aren’t performing well enough. National GOP operatives are quietly furious at lackluster candidates who didn’t do enough to prepare for a tough year despite early warnings. And some GOP candidates are pointing the finger back at their own party committees.”

New York Times: “While it’s difficult to pinpoint the number of MAHA supporters who are pulling their support from the Republican Party, nearly 70 percent of rural supporters of the movement said the Trump administration’s policies have had an adverse effect or no impact on the health of people where they live, according to a KFF and A.P. poll earlier this year focused on the midterms.”

“The driving forces behind the MAHA movement are people seeking to be healthier and looking to remove harmful substances in food, the poll found.”

CNN: “In 2010, Ken Buck rode the tea party wave to win Colorado’s Republican Senate nomination but proved too conservative for the state’s general-election voters.”

“In 2022, Don Bolduc rode a similar arc in the New Hampshire Senate race as an election-denier who spouted a conspiracy theory about Bill Gates and vaccines.”

“This week, both Buck and Bolduc endorsed Democrats for major statewide offices in their respective states. Buck backed Democratic state Attorney General Phil Weiser for Colorado governor, while Bolduc backed Rep. Chris Pappas for Senate in New Hampshire.”

“Republicans have had to defer many of their legislative dreams, hoping the post-election release of political pressure could set up a productive ‘lame duck’ session before a new Congress is seated,” Politico reports.

”Fat chance, many GOP lawmakers now say.”

“Beyond the uncertainties surrounding the midterms and a potential transition of power on Capitol Hill, members will return to Washington facing a considerable list of must-pass bipartisan bills but also potentially messy internal leadership fights, a foul national mood and a mere 24 legislative days to get anything done.”

“The Republican Party’s midterm campaign has turned into a triage operation just three weeks out from November, as officials race to avert losses in a string of once-safe seats that they increasingly fear could cost them total control of Congress,” CNN reports.

“The worsening landscape has alarmed GOP operatives across several battleground states, forcing the party to pour resources into traditionally red districts and states at the expense of their once-expansive ambitions in Democratic areas.”

“And after months of pressing President Donald Trump to ramp up his travel on behalf of key candidates, some Republicans now worry he’s grown so unpopular that his presence on the campaign trail may in some cases be doing more harm than good.”

Ron Brownstein: “Of all the dynamics threatening the GOP this year, the most menacing may be the unusually direct connection voters are drawing between their economic frustrations and the policies that President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have implemented.”

“Presidents always suffer from proximity when Americans are discontented about the economy. But this year, Trump faces an additional level of vulnerability. A significant majority of voters consistently say in polls that they believe his policies — particularly surrounding tariffs and the Iran war — are exacerbating the problem that most concerns them: the high cost of living.”

“Three is a trend, and the leaks about Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton’s campaign have more than hit that threshold,” Semafor reports.

“On Thursday the Texas Tribune published audio of Paxton saying the U.S. needs to ‘suck it up’ and cut federal programs, more drips from the same fundraiser that elicited Paxton’s complaints about gas prices, lack of control over his own campaign, and the Republican midterm convention depressing his numbers.”

Said Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): “Got to be more careful when you run with the big dogs.”

“If Republicans hope to limit the damage in the midterm elections, they need their most die-hard voters to cast ballots,” MS NOW reports.

“The problem: President Donald Trump has spent years persuading them to distrust one of the best ways to make sure that happens — voting by mail…”

“Banking votes cannot solve an enthusiasm gap on its own. But it gives a campaign more time to narrow one. Once the most reliable supporters have cast a ballot, field operatives can focus their dwindling resources on the less certain voters.”