Republicans are being forced to fight for seats they have long taken for granted as President Donald Trump‘s unpopularity and mounting economic frustrations threaten to upend the party’s midterm election hopes.
Senate Republicans in deep-red Mississippi and Kansas are facing unexpectedly competitive races from Democrats, while GOP House incumbents in Colorado and Minnesota are also battling well-funded opponents just a week before Election Day.
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll completed October 26 found Trump’s approval rating at just 32 percent, with 66 percent disapproving.
Democrats also led Republicans 53 to 44 percent among likely voters on the generic congressional ballot, after undecided voters’ preferences were accounted for.
Some 73 percent of respondents said the cost of living was moving in the wrong direction.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the difficult political environment, fueled by Trump’s standing with voters and anger over tariffs and the war in Iran, has forced supposedly safe Republican incumbents to do something they rarely need to worry about: Campaign heavily to hold on to their seats.
Mississippi Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who is seeking reelection in a state Trump won by 23 percentage points in 2024, has been pushed into a tougher-than-expected contest against Democrat Scott Colom.
A progressive-leaning Change Research poll of 842 likely voters conducted October 21-22 put Hyde-Smith ahead of Colom by just three points, 43 to 40 percent.
Mississippi Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has raised a little over $6 million for her reelection bid, but her campaign has been dogged by missteps, including comments about rising grocery prices that her opponent turned into a viral attack ad
Representative Roger Marshall has raised $6.9 million this election cycle, far less than Hamilton’s $16.3 million, and has faced criticism over his comments dismissing high gas prices and his handling of patients with medical debt
Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert moved to a more conservative district before the 2024 election, but Democrat Eileen Laubacher has raised $13.7 million compared with Boebert’s $1.2 million
Hyde-Smith has raised a little over $6 million for her reelection bid, but her campaign has been dogged by missteps, including comments about rising grocery prices that her opponent turned into a viral attack ad.
When asked about the cost of meat, Hyde-Smith pointed to cheaper protein alternatives, remarks that have become a target for Democrats seeking to capitalize on voters’ concerns about affordability.
Trump traveled to Mississippi on Monday night to campaign for Hyde-Smith, who praised him as the best president in her lifetime.
Despite the difficult environment, Hyde-Smith remains favored to win, according to the Post.
Democrats have not won a Mississippi Senate race since 1982.
Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall is facing a similar challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton, despite winning his first Senate term by double digits.
The latest polling average published by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ on October 27 put Hamilton at 46.2 percent and Marshall at 45.8 percent, essentially a toss-up.
The figures underscore how competitive the race has become in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the difficult political environment, fueled by Trump’s standing with voters and anger over tariffs and the war in Iran, has forced supposedly safe Republican incumbents to worry
In southern Minnesota, Republican Representative Brad Finstad is facing a serious challenge from Democrat Jake Johnson, who has consistently out-raised him
Democrats poured more than $1.2 billion into advertising across competitive congressional races nationwide, with spending accounting for more than half of all advertising in over 70 percent of those races.
Marshall has raised $6.9 million this election cycle, far less than Hamilton’s $16.3 million, and has faced criticism over his comments dismissing high gas prices and his handling of patients with medical debt.
Trump is heading back to Texas for a fourth visit this election season on Tuesday, holding rallies in Corpus Christi and Lubbock to boost embattled Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton as he battles Democrat James Talarico in a tightening race.
The warning signs extend beyond the Senate.
In Colorado, Republican Representative Lauren Boebert moved to a more conservative district before the 2024 election, but Democrat Eileen Laubacher has raised $13.7 million compared with Boebert’s $1.2 million.
In southern Minnesota, Republican Representative Brad Finstad is facing a serious challenge from Democrat Jake Johnson, who has consistently out-raised him.
Outside groups have spent about $276,000 supporting Finstad, while more than $3.1 million has been spent opposing him, according to FEC filings.
Outside Democratic groups are also pouring millions into the race, despite Trump winning the district by double digits in 2024.
According to a Washington Post analysis published October 14, they’ve poured more than $1.2 billion into advertising across competitive congressional races nationwide, with spending accounting for more than half of all advertising in over 70 percent of those races.
The situation echoes the 2010 midterms, when Democrats suffered major losses during the Tea Party wave, including the defeat of longtime Minnesota Representative Jim Oberstar in a district he had won by 35 percentage points two years earlier.
But the Post cautioned that even a significant Democratic wave may produce fewer seat changes than in previous elections because redistricting has left Republicans with fewer House seats in Democratic-leaning districts.
