By Basant El-Faramawy
Republicans expressed fury at President Donald Trump on Wednesday after Democrats flipped both chambers of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, winning upset victories in traditionally Republican strongholds such as Texas, Kansas and South Carolina. Party operatives and strategists described the results as a total rejection of Trump's leadership.
Shock Turns to Anger Within GOP
"It's on him. It's not on anybody else. It's a total, complete rejection of President Trump," said Bill Miller, a top Republican lobbyist in Texas. "This is a disaster of the first magnitude. Nobody saw it coming like this." Gregg Peppin, a Republican strategist in Minnesota, added: "Clearly, in state after state, people did not like the president's policies." A White House ally characterized the combination of the Iran war, tariffs and the immigration crackdown as a "perfect storm" that fueled Democratic gains.
Trump's Policies and Approval Cited as Factors
Interviews with a dozen party operatives, campaign officials and White House allies revealed widespread frustration with Trump's focus on legacy projects and his low job approval rating. Republicans had expected to lose the House but hoped to hold the Senate; instead, Democrats won dozens of House races, governor contests and Senate seats in states where they had not been competitive for decades.
Historical Midterm Trends and Democratic Gains
Since 1934, the president's party has gained seats in only three midterms. Democrats broke long losing streaks: they had not won a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932, nor a statewide race in Texas in over three decades. Victories by moderates such as Roy Cooper in North Carolina undermined Trump's attempts to paint Democrats as extreme socialists.
Trump's Campaign Efforts and Criticisms
Trump and Vice President JD Vance held dozens of rallies, and the Trump-aligned Super PAC MAGA Inc. spent hundreds of millions. However, allies argued that weak candidates like Ken Paxton in Texas — described by one operative as running "the worst Senate campaign in the country" — bore responsibility. Trump's midterm convention in Dallas drew criticism for focusing on himself rather than candidates, and his keynote included a peculiar pledge of $5,000 to Republican voters and a disparaging endorsement of Paxton.
White House Controversies and Democratic Messaging
Scandals including the ouster of press secretary Katie Zacharia after five days, the resignation of ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle, and a controversial deal to buy Russian diesel — weeks after signing sanctions on Russian energy — gave Democrats effective ammunition. The messaging resonated, helping Democrats flip both chambers convincingly.
Post-Election Outlook
As Republicans assess the defeat, some look toward 2028. Iowa RNC member Steve Scheffler cited a deep bench including JD Vance, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. Strategist Gregg Peppin said the results show the party needs a new direction: "I sincerely hope that we've turned the page from the Trump era, and that we'll have new players, new issues and a new focus moving forward."
