Establishment Republicans have dithered and dilly dallied over how to deal with Donald Trump. If they distance themselves too far from him, they risk alienating the base that made him their party’s presidential nominee. If they hug him too close, they risk alienating independent voters, to say nothing of damaging themselves with women and losing any hope of winning over Latino or Asian American voters for a generation. They’ve been fretting for months, but now the election is just weeks away, Trump has bombed the first debate, and the situation is getting worse:
Mr. Trump has already slipped perceptibly in public polls, trailing widely this week in Pennsylvania and by smaller margins in Florida and North Carolina — three states he cannot afford to lose. But private polling by both parties shows an even more precipitous drop, especially among independent voters, moderate Republicans and women, according to a dozen strategists from both parties who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the data was confidential.
That’s good news for the presidential race, obviously, but the big question is downballot. Democrats have renewed hope and Republicans are getting really nervous:
“Two weeks ago I would have said Republicans would hold control of the Senate, but there’s just so many seats up and nobody is getting separation,” said Neil Newhouse, a Republican pollster, referring to the number of the party’s candidates still locked in tight races. “It worries me that we’re this close to Election Day and you’re not seeing that separation, because it makes you wonder what kind of impact the top of the ticket has.”
It’s time to make the most of this opportunity. Let’s not go for a win, let’s go for a landslide.
Can you give $1 to each Daily Kos-endorsed Senate candidate? The future of the Supreme Court is at stake.
Trump is melting down and taking Republicans with him, giving us an opportunity to elect progressive champions at all levels of government. Sign up with Daily Kos and Democracy for America to help get out the vote for more and better Democrats on Saturday, October 8.