Trump’s plan to make the midterms all about him is backfiring spectacularly, new poll finds

A new Politico poll suggests President Donald Trump's push to make the Nov. 3 midterms a referendum on himself may be helping the other side. Among Democratic voters, 48 percent said their main reason for voting is to oppose him, while 38 percent of Republicans said they are mainly voting to back him. Republicans were more likely to cite a local candidate as their chief motivation: 48 percent, versus 37 percent of Democrats, according to The Independent.

Trump has been holding rallies nearly every day, even as the war in Iran draws criticism and household costs remain a worry. At a Georgia event he told supporters to act as if he were on the ballot, claiming turnout rises 49 percent when he is. Longtime Republican strategist Doug Heye said the president is firing up Democrats more, and that fuel prices and Iran have sharpened the effect.

Republican National Committee spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre said Democrats are driven by hatred of Trump, while her party stresses tax cuts and border security. Some GOP candidates, including Maria Elvira Salazar, Mike Rogers and Ashley Hinson, have broken with him on particular issues.

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