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Top Trump political adviser James Blair says he’s ‘cautiously optimistic’ about midterms
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In Short: James Blair, a top Trump political adviser, expresses cautious optimism for Republican midterm gains, despite economic challenges and potential losses for the party in power.
James Blair, a top Trump political adviser, says he’s ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the midterms, even as Republicans face a tough fight to retain their majorities in Congress. Blair, who served as deputy White House chief of staff until April, acknowledges that Democrats have some advantages but believes Republicans can still win. 'What they [Democrats] want a Republican to be measured against is, "Do you think everything is going perfectly?"' Blair said, adding that the party in power typically loses seats in midterms.
Approaching the halfway point of Trump’s second term, the economic record has emerged as a liability for Republicans. Several Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Tom Barrett of Michigan and Zach Nunn of Iowa, plan on skipping a midterm GOP convention called by Trump for this week in Texas. The White House argues that their economic policies will pay off in the long run, but the ongoing conflict with Iran has also become a political issue.
According to reports, the party that controls the White House typically loses seats in Congress during midterms. Blair, who now serves as the chief of the president’s MAGA Inc., is optimistic but acknowledges the challenges. 'We’re still cleaning up that mess, and we need more time to finish the job,' Blair said, referring to the conflict with Iran.
Despite the challenges, Trump is actively campaigning, telling his audience in Dallas, 'As far as Dallas, we’ve always been a huge supporter of Trump.' Reps. Ryan Mackenzie and Mike Lawler, along with candidate Eric Flores, are aligning with Trump ahead of the midterm elections, emphasizing their support for the president.
What's still developing
- “I’m not affected by the election,” Trump told reporters last week.
- He said he views this year’s midterms as being driven by both national and local concerns.
- Trump has repeatedly said that the ongoing conflict has achieved its goal of preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon, something that Blair cited as a political success, despite the president’s low marks from voters on his handling of the war.
- Comparing Democratic candidates to unpopular members of their party, like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Blair added, is a strategy he hopes GOP candidates will use.
- "I'm asking you to pretend that I'm on the ballot," Trump told his audience on Wednesday.
- Conventional political wisdom dictates that the party in power will suffer losses in Congress during a midterm election year.
Sources
- NBC Newslink