Forty-five days before the midterms, Republicans who voted to send troops into the Gulf are pretending they never heard of the man who gave the order.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Republican incumbents in competitive districts have begun distancing themselves from Donald Trump and the MAGA brand that carried them into office. The Journal described candidates in swing seats "tip-toeing away" — scrubbing joint rally photos, declining to answer whether they support the president’s agenda, and running ads that never mention his name.
The shift follows a week that made the distance harder to close. The House invoked the War Powers Act for the third time since Trump ordered military operations in the Persian Gulf, passing the resolution 220-204. Several Republican members broke ranks to vote yes — a number that has grown with each successive vote. The House then recessed early and will not return until after the November 3 election, leaving members to face voters with no legislative calendar to hide behind.
The New York Times this week published an explainer on wave elections — what they are, how they form, and why Republicans should be watching the indicators now. The piece noted that the conditions match historical patterns: an unpopular president, a galvanized opposition, and a series of down-ballot races where unknown challengers are outraising entrenched incumbents. The Guardian reported that left-leaning candidates have been winning primaries at rates not seen since 2018, powered by what one organizer called voters who are "pissed off" at an elite class they see as insulated from the consequences of war and economic disruption.
