(President Trump says he wants to beat Dems in the midterms, but why might he actually be happy if Democrats won? Read my new column from RealClearPolitics.)
By FRANK MIELE
Even though Donald Trump professes confidence that the nation loves him and his policies, he isn’t putting his money where his mouth is – and that has Republicans running scared, especially if they are running for office.
With midterms just 57 days away, Trump is almost 17 points underwater in the RealClearPolitics Average; Republican Senate candidates are at risk of losing what should be safe seats in Texas, Iowa, and Ohio; and MAGA Inc. – the Trump-supporting super PAC – is sitting on over $400 million that could make all the difference.
In the meantime, Vice President JD Vance’s campaign stop in Michigan to support Mike Rogers in his uphill battle against socialist Abdul El-Sayed was notable mainly because it was one of the few such events attended by either Vance or Trump.
It’s enough to make you ask a simple question: Does President Trump really want Republicans to win the midterms and keep control of the House and Senate?
At one point last year, it seemed like the answer was an easy affirmative. Remember how much effort Trump put into working to redistrict congressional seats in Republican-controlled states?
But that was then. What has Trump done lately? Back in April, Axios reported that Trump’s operation planned to start unloading its enormous war chest around Memorial Day. That apparently didn’t happen on anything like the promised scale. Now it’s Labor Day, and it still hasn’t happened.
Yes, Labor Day is traditionally the start of campaign season, so Trump can claim he’s doing everything he needs to do, but there is another tradition to keep in mind: Presidents generally see their party get clobbered in the midterms, losing anywhere from 10 to 60 seats.
So it’s time to consider the very real possibility that President Trump doesn’t think it is in his best interest to preserve the narrow Republican majority in the House, and the slightly wider majority in the Senate.
But what could possibly justify such an assertion?
First and foremost, he needs a villain. The Democratic Party applied for the job – with its insistence on defending illegal immigration, men in women’s sports, and raising taxes – and until communists start running under their own name, the Democrats will have to do.
Heck, Trump’s historic legacy rests in large part on his ability to paint the Democratic Party as a bunch of jackasses (it’s their mascot, remember?) and he’s been hindered for the past two years because no one takes Democrats seriously right now.
But if they actually regain control of Congress, the threat of their socialist policies will loom large. Trump can reclaim his mantle as the protector of American ideals and traditions, and use his veto pen as a mighty sword to hold off Democrats’ attempts to dismantle the Electoral College and radically alter the Supreme Court.
If, instead, Republicans retain their narrow lead in the House and Senate, the president will be stuck with two more years of bellyaching about how his own party can’t get anything done. Not a good look for legacy builders.
And in at least one regard, Trump may be right. Experience has taught us that this New York brawler is often politically more comfortable with enemies than with allies.
He knows what to do with Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer. Attack them. Ridicule them. Blame them. Give them nicknames. Rally his supporters against them.
Republican congressional majorities are much more inconvenient. When Republicans control the White House, House, and Senate, Trump owns Washington. There is nobody else to blame when Congress doesn’t enact his program.
Now imagine January 2027 with a Democratic House.
Suddenly every failure has a villain. The Democrats won’t secure the border. The Democrats won’t cut taxes. The Democrats won’t fund my program. The Democrats are obstructing the will of the American people.
And every subpoena, investigation, and impeachment threat becomes political oxygen for Trump. He gets to be persecuted again. That is terrain on which he thrives.
So there may be a disconnect between what Trump wants and what is good for Republicans overall.
Last week, Trump told Republican lawmakersthat they should have no fear – he is coming to the rescue. In particular, he said he would campaign in the last month before the Nov. 3 election for all 35 candidates in what he considered crucial races.
But his advice to those candidates continued to raise questions about Trump’s intentions. He is still urging Republicans to run on their record, on his record, and that has to be scary. After all, Democrats are running on Trump’s record too – reminding voters just how little they like it.
So if Trump wants us to believe him when he says to vote Republican, he needs to do what I said at the start of this column. Put his money where his mouth is.
Mr. President, please don’t preserve your $400 million war chest to fund your presidential library. Spend it now. Spend it hard. Spend it wisely. Protect your Republican majority, and dear Lord, save us from yet another impeachment.
About Heartland Diary USA
Heartland Diary is solely operated by Frank Miele, the retired editor of the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell, Montana. If you enjoy reading these daily essays, I hope you will SUBSCRIBE to www.HeartlandDiaryUSA.com by leaving your email address on the home page. Also please consider purchasing one of my books. They are available through the following Amazon links. My new book is “What Matters Most: God, Country, Family and Friends” and is a collection of personal essays that transcend politics. My earlier books include “How We Got Here: The Left’s Assault on the Constitution,” “The Media Matrix: What if everything you know is fake?” and the “Why We Needed Trump” trilogy. Part 1 is subtitled “Bush’s Global Failure: Half Right.” Part 2 is “Obama’s Fundamental Transformation: Far Left.” Part 3 is “Trump’s American Vision: Just Right.” As an Amazon Associate, I may earn referral fees for qualifying purchases through links on my website.
