Republicans are worried despite a humming economy
WASHINGTON — As Democrats enter the fall midterm campaign with palpable confidence about reclaiming the House and perhaps even the Senate, tensions are rising between the White House and congressional Republicans over who is to blame for political difficulties facing the party, with President Donald Trump’s advisers pointing to the high number of GOP retirements and lawmakers placing the blame squarely on the president’s divisive style.
Yet Republican leaders do agree on one surprising element in the battle for Congress: They can’t rely on the booming economy to win over undecided voters.
To the dismay of party leaders, the healthy economy and Trump have become countervailing forces. The decline in unemployment and soaring gross domestic product, along with the tax overhaul Republicans argue is fueling the growth, have been obscured by the president’s inflammatory moves on immigration, Vladimir Putin and other fronts, party leaders say.
These self-inflicted wounds since early summer have helped push Trump’s approval ratings below 40 percent and the fortunes of his party down with them.
“This is very much a referendum on the president,” Rep. Tom Cole, R-okla., said of the November election. “If we had to fight this campaign on what we accomplished in Congress and on the state of the economy, I think we’d almost certainly keep our majority.”
Glen Bolger, a leading Republican pollster working on several top races this year, was even blunter: “People think the economy is doing well, but that’s not what they’re voting on — they’re voting on the chaos of the guy in the White House.”
Democrats still face challenges of their own, namely the unpopularity of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, and the party’s tilt left on issues like immigration, both of which could chill support from some otherwise persuadable voters. And the threat of a Democratic majority impeaching the president, which Trump is eager to