‘It’s the President’s Fault’: The White House Blame Game Starts Early Ahead of the Midterms

Trump White House aides person started to formed astir for a scapegoat to connection the president successful the lawsuit of atrocious midterm predetermination losses, arsenic Republicans look down brutal predictions successful cardinal House and Senate races, sources acquainted with the substance say.

Republican governmental operatives accidental privately that the existent blasted lies with Trump for starting the Iran warfare successful an predetermination year, causing higher prices crossed the committee and prompting a nationwide elector backlash, the sources say.

“Clearly it's the president's fault,” 1 operative tells Inner Loop.

But Trump aides besides know, for evident reasons, they cannot accidental publically oregon archer the president down closed doors that his ain argumentation decisions are astatine responsibility arsenic they contemplate losing not conscionable the House majority, but perchance the Senate.

The effect has been an unusually aboriginal effort to find a scapegoat, and sources accidental eyes person fallen connected lawman main of unit and governmental strategist James Blair, who organized the Trump 2024 campaign's turnout strategy and returned to the relation for this midterm cycle.

Blair's efforts included a marquee program for definite states to redraw legislature maps early, which looked likely—though not certain—to output favorable House seats for Republicans, truthful agelong arsenic the conjugation that Trump turned retired successful 2024 came retired to enactment Republicans successful 2026.

Even accounting for the Iran war, the redistricting gambit was expected to bring astir 10 to 15 pickups for Republicans successful the House. After Virginia's apical tribunal blocked Democrats from redrawing maps to support gait successful the redistricting battle, wrote connected X: “Lord assistance maine humility.”

But successful a singular backfire 5 months later, predetermination forecasters person recovered that immoderate of the redistricted seats present favour Democrats.

The redrawn representation for Florida's 25th legislature territory conscionable southbound of Fort Lauderdale, for instance, is now characterized arsenic "Lean Democrat," and the outlook is truthful atrocious that the Congressional Leadership Fund, the House Republican–aligned group, has pulled wealth retired of the race.

Maps that were drawn for Republicans successful ruby-red Texas are abruptly besides vulnerable, adjacent successful seats wherever the enactment has incumbents. In Texas' 15th legislature district, GOP campaigner Monica De La Cruz's contention is now rated a "tossup" by the Cook Political Report.

Blair's allies wrong and extracurricular the West Wing accidental the disapproval directed astatine him is grossly unfair due to the fact that helium could not person foreseen the effects of the Iran warfare and scandals involving Trump officials undoing his planning.