Political journalist Mark Halperin says Republicans should consider “panic” ahead of the midterms, though he says they are not there yet. With 40 days until Election Day, he warns the party is struggling to retain both congressional majorities.
In a Daily Mail op-ed, Halperin cited the Iran war, higher gas and diesel prices, and the White House’s response to fears surrounding AI and data centers. He also pointed to conservative radio host Steve Deace’s warning that Iowa could have a worse midterm environment than 2006, and the Cook Political Report shifting Kansas’s Senate race from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican.”
Halperin said Republican candidates were distancing themselves from Trump, apparently referring to Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds. He called public polls “horrendous” for Republicans and said private polls were worse, without providing figures. On Friday, he said 17 more Republican strategists had contacted him after the piece.
