The most important US midterm trends I’m seeing | Molly Jong-Fast

OK NOBODY WARNED ME ABOUT THIS ONE, BUT MOLLY JONG-FAST SAYS THAT CHILL IN THE AIR IS NOT THE WEATHER, IT IS LITERALLY THE REPUBLICANS PANICKING ABOUT THE 2026 MIDTERMS! THE WHOLE PIECE IS BASICALLY SAYING TRUMP THOUGHT HE COULD DEFY GRAVITY, BUT APPARENTLY HE CANNOT, WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE HE TRIED TO MESS WITH MAIL-IN VOTING AND FEDERALIZE ELECTIONS BUT IT IS JUST NOT WORKING. THE AUTHOR SAYS HE LOOKS BORED AND DROOPY IN MEETINGS, AND EVEN TEXAS SEATS THEY REDREW MIGHT ACTUALLY STAY BLUE BECAUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE A NINE-POINT ADVANTAGE ACROSS THE BOARD. IT IS LIKE A TOTAL DIRGE FOR TRUMPISM RIGHT NOW, AND EVEN EXPENSIVE GAS IS NOT THE ONLY THING HOLDING HIM BACK. IT IS JUST A WILD VIBE SHIFT THAT NOBODY SAW COMING. ANYWAY THAT IS ALL I KNOW, GENUINELY.

LET ME RUIN YOUR NIGHT FOR ONE SECOND AND TELL YOU THAT THE GUARDIAN THINKS THE 2026 MIDTERMS ARE LOOKING LIKE A TOTAL DISASTER FOR THE REPUBLICANS. SUPPOSEDLY, TRUMP IS NO LONGER THAT DEFT POPULIST HE USED TO BE, AND HE IS STRUGGLING BECAUSE GAS IS SIX FIFTY A GALLON AND HIS WHOLE STRATEGY OF REDRAWING MAPS IS BACKFIRING. THE PIECE CLAIMS VOTER ANGER IS THE BIGGEST THING NEITHER PARTY IS TAKING SERIOUSLY, AND HONESTLY, EVEN THE SUPER RED STATES MIGHT FLIP. THE DEMOCRATS ARE SITTING ON A NINE-POINT LEAD, WHICH IS HUGE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, AND TRUMP’S ATTEMPTS AT MESSING WITH THE BALLOTS JUST ARE NOT DOING THE TRICK. IT FEELS LIKE THE WHOLE MOVEMENT IS LOSING ITS STEAM AND LOOKING TOTALLY EXHAUSTED. OK BUT WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THAT WAS YOU?

Molly Jong-Fast writes that Republicans face a difficult 2026 midterm cycle as Trump's influence wanes and Democrats hold a reported nine-point advantage.

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