A Republican strategist has warned that more GOP lawmakers will want to distance themselves from Donald Trump as the midterms approach.
Scores of GOP candidates have already decided their election prospects will improve if they are not associated with the president, who is recording near-record-low approval ratings and facing intense voter backlash on key issues such as the economy.
This has ranged from publicly speaking out about Trump’s unpopular policies, not attending the presidential midterm convention flop in Texas, to scrubbing all references to the 80-year-old from their campaign websites.
“You’re going to see more of it,” a Republican strategist told NBC News. “Everyone has to be finding ways to create the separation.”
Another Republican strategist suggested GOP lawmakers are deciding to distance themselves from the increasingly unpopular president because they’re “getting s--t from their constituents.”
“They’re willing to make a break from the president because things are not going to get better before Nov. 3, and the White House isn’t able to articulate a path forward,” they said.
“The races that we are losing—we have generic Republicans who are running alongside the president’s image rating.”
The GOP is widely predicted to lose control of the House in November, as the ruling party historically suffers major losses in the midterms and Republicans currently hold only a razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.
Intense backlash to Trump, who has been recording approval ratings in the 20s, means that the Senate could also be in play for Democrats in the crucial nationwide elections.
Even MAGA Republicans—such as Miami Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar and Georgia Senate candidate Mike Collins—are taking drastic steps to distance themselves from Trump by speaking out against the war in Iran or hardline immigration policies.
Republican pollsters said that pulling away from the president is the right move for lawmakers, even if they have only done so with the midterms just weeks away.
“It’s very smart to do, and it will matter,” a Republican pollster told NBC News. “Anyone who has been looking at data for longer than a month has seen this coming for quite some time.”
A White House spokesman denied that Republicans are distancing themselves from the president, noting how many praise Trump on social media and on stage during the midterm convention in Texas.
“President Trump is the unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator for the Republican Party, and he is committed to maintaining Republican majorities in Congress,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.
Trump has largely stayed away from launching scathing attacks against those who do not want to be associated with him ahead of the Nov. 3 elections. However, others fear this period of goodwill may not last too long.
“I think he realizes in a tough election cycle, everyone needs a little flexibility,” a Trump political aide said. “But I’m sure he’s keeping a list in his head. It will be interesting to see what their standing is when, and if, they return to Washington after the midterm.”
“He endorsed most of them and helped many get elected,” they added. “I don’t know that that will be forgotten.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
