Trump Fuels 2026 Midterm Defeat Fears as War, Tariffs and Datacenters Hit Republicans
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 4
Trump Fuels 2026 Midterm Defeat Fears as War, Tariffs and Datacenters Hit Republicans
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 4
Summary
Postal voting began Friday as scrutiny intensified over whether Trump’s own moves are worsening Republican prospects in the 2026 midterms, with critics casting his conduct as political self-sabotage.
February’s Iran war and a renewed week of strikes have pushed up petrol, grocery and borrowing costs, undercutting Trump’s 2024 inflation pledge just as voters face higher mortgage and credit-card bills.
Canada’s dollar-for-dollar tariff retaliation is hitting export-heavy states including Michigan, Ohio, Maine, Iowa and Texas, complicating key Senate races and hurting farmers in territory Republicans usually count on.
Seven in 10 Americans say they do not want datacenters nearby, yet Trump has championed them and backed polarizing candidates such as Ken Paxton in Texas, adding to party vulnerabilities.
The broader argument is that Trump may not fear a November setback because Congress has limited means to constrain him, while a Republican loss could let him claim the party cannot win without him.