From Politico · · 4m
Republicans hide Trump in midterm ads
GOP candidates are keeping Trump out of campaign advertising and avoiding rallies with him, even in deep-red states where they once featured his endorsement.
In brief
GOP candidates are keeping Trump out of campaign advertising and avoiding rallies with him, even in deep-red states where they once featured his endorsement. Republican candidates are distancing themselves from Trump in midterm ads and campaign events despite his efforts to boost the party, citing his unpopularity and…
Trump campaigns but candidates hide
President Donald Trump is barnstorming the country to boost Republicans in the final weeks of the midterms. But many candidates want to keep that support quiet.
Trump absent from GOP ads
The president is nowhere to be found in GOP ads, even in red states where Republicans were happy to tout his endorsement two years ago.
Democrats spend far more on Trump ads
Democratic House and Senate candidates and outside groups have spent one hundred forty-five million dollars on general election ads mentioning Trump, while Republicans have spent just eight million dollars.
Sharp drop from 2024 spending
That is in sharp contrast to twenty twenty-four, when GOP candidates spent sixty-two million dollars on ads mentioning Trump.
Base turnout versus airwave risk
Trump is at historic lows right now, so if he comes to your district or state, it is about getting the Republican base vote out there and that can certainly help.
“Trump is at historic lows right now, so if he comes to your district or state, it's about getting the Republican base vote out there and that can certainly help. But it's really important for the candidates not to be talking about Trump 24/7 on the campaign trail.”
Republicans break with Trump on policy
The unfavorable national political environment leaves few incentives for GOP candidates to tie themselves to Trump, and more and more Republicans in competitive races have broken with the president on issues such as the Iran…
When Republicans mention Trump, they criticize
When Republicans do mention Trump in ads, they often are not touting his support. In Alaska, GOP Senator Dan Sullivan has run an ad citing how he voted to force Trump's DOJ to release the…
Nebraska and Ohio show the shift
In twenty twenty-four, Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska and now-Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio both ran several general election ads featuring endorsements from Trump.
Trump won those states decisively
The president won Nebraska by more than twenty points and Ohio by twelve points in twenty twenty-four, with Fischer and Moreno also winning their races.
Ohio candidates attend rallies but avoid ads
Both Ricketts and Husted appeared at Trump rallies earlier this month. Still, Trump is absent from all Republican Senate ads in Ohio, and the only Ricketts ads that name the president accuse Osborn of disparaging…
Iran war and affordability hurt Republicans
The war in Iran has become a real noose around the neck of Republican candidates because of the affordability crisis, according to former Ohio Representative Jim Renacci.
“The war in Iran, I think, has become a real noose around the neck of Republican candidates because of the affordability crisis.”
Husted campaign defends Trump events
Husted's campaign spokesperson Amy Natoce told POLITICO that President Trump won Ohio decisively three times by eight points, eight points and eleven points.
“President Trump won Ohio decisively three times by 8 points, 8 points and 11 points. If we successfully turn out the MAGA vote this November, then we will retire Sherrod Brown for good.”
White House defends Trump's role
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said President Trump is the unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator for the Republican Party, and he is committed to maintaining Republican majorities in Congress.
“President Trump is the unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator for the Republican Party, and he is committed to maintaining Republican majorities in Congress.”
Michigan candidates feared Trump event
When Trump's team was making plans for the president to campaign in Michigan last week potentially in western Michigan, several Republican candidates and their teams initially did not know whether they should attend and be…
Trump event scrapped, rescheduled later
Trump officials scrapped the event and said the president would visit the state later in the month. Trump is now scheduled for a rally in the state on October twenty-fifth.
Senate candidates get more latitude
The president and his team are giving most Senate GOP candidates especially a wide latitude to break with some of his policies at times.
House Republicans expected to stay loyal
Republicans in the more MAGA-friendly House are expected to run more in lock-step with the president.
The one thing
Republican candidates are distancing themselves from Trump in midterm ads and campaign events despite his efforts to boost the party, citing his unpopularity and policy disagreements.
