Key facts
- Republican candidates are distancing themselves from President Donald Trump due to his low approval ratings.
- Rep. Tom Tiffany has broken with Trump on data centers, beef imports, and mail-in ballot reforms.
- Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar criticized Trump's immigration enforcement in a TV ad.
- Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted to limit Trump's war powers regarding the Iran war.
- Several Republican candidates skipped the GOP midterm convention.
- President Trump criticized Salazar's stance on border policy.
Republican candidates in tight races are increasingly distancing themselves from President Donald Trump, whose low approval rating is seen as a liability. This shift reflects concerns that Trump's policies and public image are negatively impacting their chances in the upcoming elections, particularly with the midterms less than two months away.
Rep. Tom Tiffany, a staunch Trump ally, has publicly broken with the president on several issues, including data centers, beef imports, and mail-in ballot reforms. Tiffany has also begun to sidestep questions about the 2020 election, stating that "Joe Biden won."
Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar released a TV ad criticizing the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, warning that "the same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today."
In Iowa, Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted to limit Trump's use of war powers and end the war in Iran, with Nunn stating that "Iowa has already paid a devastating price" for the conflict. Both, along with Rep. Ashley Hinson, skipped a recent GOP midterm convention rally.
Republicans close to Hinson expressed concerns that she would need to distance herself from Trump to win her critical Senate race, citing worries about Trump's tariff agenda and the ongoing Iran war.
Michigan GOP strategist Jason Roe noted the "bad political environment" for Republicans, stating, "These elections are a referendum on our government. [Trump] is the head of the government."
Some Republican candidates have deleted or minimized references to Trump on their campaign websites, and few are mentioning him in their ads. President Trump himself criticized Salazar's comments on border policy, stating, "I got her elected. Without me, she wouldn’t have gotten elected."