Mike Johnson asks Trump for more midterm money as Republicans seek to avert disaster in House races

With about a week left before the midterms, House Speaker Mike Johnson asked President Donald Trump for additional money to protect Republican House members, according to a person familiar with the conversation. Punchbowl News first reported the request. Within days, Trump's political operation sent nearly $30 million into dozens of districts. Donors and lawmakers had also lobbied the president's circle for more support, multiple people told CNN.

The spending reflects a worsening outlook. Republican operatives have stopped targeting Democratic-held seats in many places and are instead defending incumbents in normally safe territory, including Arizona, Ohio, Florida and Wisconsin. Reps. Mike Carey and Eli Crane, who barely registered on Democratic radar earlier, are among those affected. One operative said none of the party's incumbents in competitive districts has reached 50% in recent internal surveys. Open seats in Kentucky, Montana, Iowa and Arizona have also moved toward Democrats, and many undecided voters might stay home.

Florida Republicans are especially anxious, with some blaming Gov. Ron DeSantis for a redistricting plan they now consider a costly mistake. CNN reports Democrats are privately discussing a majority of 230 or more seats.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN →