Yes
I do.
No
I don’t.
With the midterm elections approaching, Republicans are debating the best strategy for motivating voters and maintaining control of Congress. One idea gaining attention is making the elections about President Donald Trump and his administration’s record rather than treating every House and Senate contest as an isolated local race.
Trump’s vice president has argued that Republicans need to “nationalize” the midterms, a strategy that would put national issues and the president’s agenda front and center. Under such an approach, Republican candidates could emphasize the administration’s policies on the economy, immigration, national security, energy, government spending, and other major issues while asking voters to judge the party on its overall performance in Washington.
Supporters of this strategy may believe Trump remains the Republican Party’s strongest political figure and that putting his agenda at the center of the campaign could energize voters who might otherwise stay home during a midterm election.
There are potential risks as well. Midterm races are often shaped by local concerns, individual candidates, and conditions within particular states or congressional districts. Some Republicans may prefer to campaign primarily on issues affecting their own communities rather than turning every contest into a national referendum on the president.
The strategy could ultimately test how much influence Trump continues to have over Republican turnout when his own name is not on the ballot.
With control of Congress potentially hanging in the balance, Republicans have an important strategic decision to make. Should GOP candidates across the country make Trump and his agenda the central focus of their midterm campaigns?