Trump Midterm Trouble Grows as Republicans Lose Ground

The Trump Midterm trouble is paralyzing his party. The U.S. midterm campaign is entering its final stretch. On November 3, Americans will vote for seats in Congress, governors’ offices and thousands of state and local positions. It is the biggest political test since Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential victory. And the central issue in the campaign is increasingly Trump himself. The election is shaping up as a nationwide referendum on his agenda — and Republicans are under growing pressure.

Trump’s popularity has fallen sharply. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released September 21 put his approval rating at just 32%, the lowest of his political career. Only 17% approved of his handling of the cost of living, while 34% approved of the war with Iran. When asked which party they would support in the congressional elections, registered voters favored Democrats 43% to 35%.

Trump midterm trouble hits the campaign trail

Trump had promised voters lower inflation and an end to prolonged foreign wars. Instead, the Iran conflict has pushed fuel prices higher and kept cost-of-living concerns at the center of the campaign. Trump continues to promote what he calls America’s “Golden Age,” but polls show many voters remain deeply dissatisfied with household costs and the direction of the country.

Critics are also hammering Trump over his battles with the press, his increasingly personalized use of presidential imagery and his ambitious construction projects in Washington. Supporters dismiss those attacks as political theater, while opponents portray them as evidence of a presidency becoming more centered on Trump himself.

Artificial intelligence has become another dividing line. Trump has repeatedly emphasized speed and U.S. dominance in the AI race, arguing against heavy regulation. His administration has cultivated close ties with America’s biggest technology companies while defending the rapid construction of massive data centers.

Trump launches a 32-day campaign blitz

Trump is now throwing himself fully into the midterm campaign. On Monday, he announced what he called a “32-day tour” across the country, including stops in Texas and Ohio. He insists Republican candidates want him on the trail, although Reuters reports that some GOP contenders are embracing him enthusiastically while others are emphasizing local issues and their own records.

Republicans face competitive contests well beyond the traditional battlegrounds. Democrats are pushing into states including Texas and Florida and are even targeting races in Kansas and Mississippi. At the same time, Republicans retain a significant financial advantage: AP reports they are spending about $1.63 billion on campaign advertising between September 1 and Election Day, compared with roughly $1.19 billion for Democrats.

Texas has become one of the biggest political surprises. Democrat James Talarico is challenging Republican Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate in a race that recent public polling has placed within the margin of error. If Talarico wins, he would become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas since 1988.

Democrats sense an opening — but face their own problems

Democrats are increasingly optimistic after almost two years of unified Republican control in Washington. But the party also has serious weaknesses. AP reports that 55% of voters have an unfavorable view of Democrats, while roughly half of registered voters say the party has moved too far to the left. Democratic strategists are also warning against assuming a “blue wave” is inevitable.

One growing problem is the Republican effort to brand Democrats as socialists or communists. The rise of the Democratic Socialists of America has given the GOP fresh ammunition. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is a DSA member, while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez remains one of the country’s most prominent democratic-socialist figures and is backed by the organization’s New York chapter.

That pressure is already changing Democratic campaign strategy. Reuters reports that 60 Democratic candidates, including 10 sitting members of Congress, have signed a pledge explicitly declaring: “We are capitalist, not socialist.” Republicans argue that DSA-backed victories show the party is moving sharply left; Democratic leaders counter that the attacks are designed to distract voters from inflation and the cost of living.

The stakes could hardly be higher. If Democrats gain control of either chamber, they would obtain subpoena power, committee gavels and far greater ability to investigate the Trump administration and block parts of his legislative agenda. Republicans, meanwhile, are fighting to preserve the congressional majorities that have allowed Trump to govern with relatively few legislative obstacles.

With just weeks remaining, both parties are heading into a brutal finish: Trump is campaigning almost nonstop, Democrats are expanding the map, Republicans are pouring extraordinary sums into defensive races — and voters will soon decide how much power the president retains for the final two years of his term.