Republicans in deep red states are all hands on deck.
As the midterms loom on Nov. 3, campaign teams are frantically digging into the GOP war chest to shore up seats that would usually be regarded as safe.
The elections, in just six weeks, are expected to be a referendum on the president and the first 20 months of his second term, which have seen him start a new war, tank the economy, worsen the affordability crisis, and crash his approval ratings to historic lows.
As a result, party campaign bosses are scrambling to shore up districts Trump won comfortably just two years ago, Politico reports.
It claims this involves pumping cash into House races beyond the few dozen battlegrounds normally considered tight, including heartland areas.
The outlet reports that deep-red districts Trump won by double digits in 2024 have now seen $110 million in advertising bookings from Republicans since Aug.1.
Its analysis found that since that point, two-thirds of House advertising spending has gone to seats held by GOP incumbents.
The Midwest, meanwhile, is struggling under the weight of Trump’s global tariff strategy. Trump swept to the White House promising to make folks feel better off. However, soaring prices at the pump and in the grocery store have made many feel that their wallets are getting lighter, not heavier.
Perhaps as a reaction to this, the GOP is going hard on keeping Ohio GOP Sen. Jon Husted in place.
Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, are also going all-in on the campaign trail. Both are expected to head to Republican heartlands to rally for local candidates. Both men are expected to appear in Ohio in support of Husted, four sources told Politico.
The state has been hit hard by tariffs and diesel prices, and the same is true for Texas, Iowa, Michigan and Kansas.
The same report says that Republicans have pivoted to prioritize key states, funneling resources into some and stepping away from others they fear they might lose.
Iowa and Kansas, it reports, are at the top of the list. Georgia and North Carolina have dropped down the pecking order as Republicans increasingly accept they could turn blue.
“We need to stop the contagion,” one GOP official told the outlet.
“The map is hilariously big right now,” a Republican pollster said.
What the GOP does have is cash.
“The voter enthusiasm [for Republican voters] is not where it needs to be, but that’s where a money advantage can make a really big impact,” party strategist Mark Bednar told the outlet.
“Republicans aren’t taking anything for granted this cycle and will deploy whatever resources necessary to protect our majorities and prevent Democrats from taking control,” RNC spokeswoman Natalie Baldassarre told Politico.
For their part, Democrats are showing signs of belief. “You know, I look at places like Kansas where I never thought we’d have a chance, or South Carolina or even Mississippi, these places are longshots, but they look like they’re competitive,” said Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
