Axios: The hate election

Posted on July 19, 2026 by michelleclarke2015
 The hate election
 
Illustration of a person's shirt with a sticker with an American flag on it, and the text,
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Stock: Getty Images
 
Republicans admit their midterm forecast is bleak. But they’re clinging to two hopes: voters’ fear and loathing of Democrats, Axios’ Marc Caputo reports.

“It’s going to be a hate election,” a Republican tied to President Trump‘s political operation told Axios. “Voters have to hate the Dems more than they hate us. And we have material to work with.”

So watch for the GOP to play up swing voters’ fears that Democrats would go too far left if they won control of the House and/or Senate — arguing that “yeah, we suck, but they’re worse,” as one GOP pollster put it.

Why it matters: There’s broad GOP frustration that Trump has made challenging midterm elections harder by not focusing on pocketbook issues — especially the tax cuts Republicans won — while launching the Iran war, which raised gas prices and fueled inflation.

Trump’s prime-time speech Thursday night about China’s alleged influence campaign targeting U.S. voters six years ago did little to assuage those concerns.

“I have yet to understand how we win the midterms by talking about what happened in 2020,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told Axios.

🔎 Zoom in: Trump hopes his speech will pressure Congress to pass his controversial SAVE America Act and energize his base. But GOP pollsters and election pros outside the White House say the message is falling on deaf ears.

“We’ve studied this, and it’s not a winner,” said a second Republican pollster working on multiple races nationwide. “Our research shows people want the president to make their life better, and they don’t believe he has.

“The pollster’s data now indicate Democrats could wind up with a seven-seat majority in the House, where Republicans have a six-seat edge. Trump’s net approval rating is 10 points underwater.

A Washington Post/Ipsos pollout Thursday showed Trump’s net approval rating was even worse among registered voters: -19%.

👀 Friction point: Democrats also have poor favorability ratings. And Republicans plan to use the Democrats’ Tea Party-like revolt by progressives to paint the entire party as radicals who can’t be trusted to govern.📉 

Reality check: Both political parties have similar (low) approval ratings, according to a Pew Research Center poll.

A majority of voters consistently view Trump as dishonest (even in red states, including Texas).

And Republicans counting on voters hating liberal Democrats more than them might consider this: A CNBC poll out Friday found that voters now are more likely to be turned off by a MAGA candidate than a democratic socialist.Share this story.
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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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