If the 2025 off-year elections are any indication, analysts believe they could foreshadow another challenging election cycle for Republicans in the 2026 midterms. Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, former Barack Obama strategist David Axelrod and Donald Trump ally Scott Jennings debated the true meaning behind the recent Democratic victories across the country.
“You can’t jawbone people into feeling what they’re not experiencing,” Axelrod remarked, referring to Trump’s months-long effort to claim the economy was dramatically better under his administration. He added, “You know what you saw yesterday in really, really significant numbers all over the country where people [were] voting because they were really worried about the direction of the country and the direction of the economy.”
Host Kaitlan Collins then raised a poignant question: could these results indicate that a 2026 Democratic sweep might turn Trump into a “lame duck”? Collins shared insights from a White House staffer who once told her, “Just make everyone clear on how much they’re worried about Democrats taking back the House in the midterms or what that could look like. One White House staffer told me once that it’s the end of the presidency, if that happens.”
She emphasized that for those in the White House, the stakes are incredibly high. They vividly remember what it was like during Trump’s first term, when they lost power to the Democrats who acted as a check on his authority.
Scott Jennings suggested the White House should reconsider Trump’s frequent overseas travel and instead keep him focused on domestic economic issues. “So, I would be looking for ways to keep him at home and keep him visible in those settings, and also just get him talking about what people are feeling and what he’s doing about it,” Jennings advised.
As the 2026 midterms approach, the political landscape continues to shift, and both parties are strategizing over how best to connect with voters amid growing economic concerns and political tensions.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-midterm-elections-2674269878/
