Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Dec 12: President Donald Trump’s ability to rally voters on issues like the economy, immigration, and crime, which propelled his return to the White House last year, appears to be facing limits as Republicans struggle to maintain control in Washington.

Recent election results indicate growing challenges for the GOP. Democrats secured a historic victory in Miami’s mayoral race for the first time in three decades and also won a special election in a traditionally Republican district in Georgia. Trump’s influence showed cracks when he failed to persuade Indiana state senators to approve a congressional map that could have benefited Republicans with two additional seats.

Trump’s standing on key issues that powered his 2024 comeback has weakened. Approval of his handling of the economy has dropped from 40% in March to 31%, according to an AP-NORC poll. On crime, his approval rating fell from 53% to 43%, while immigration, a longstanding focus, saw approval slip from 49% to 38%. Despite this, Trump continues to publicly tout his performance, telling Politico he gives himself an “A+++++” on the economy.

Republicans are growing concerned as midterm elections approach. With Democrats close to reclaiming the House majority, party leaders fear a repeat of dynamics similar to the 2018 midterms, when Democrats gained 40 seats. Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) stressed the importance of messaging, noting, “If you’re not concerned, then you’re living in a cave… The Democrats are professionals at it. We’re not good at it.”

While historical trends suggest the party in the presidency often loses seats in the first midterm, redistricting and voting patterns may create fewer competitive districts this cycle. Nevertheless, Trump remains publicly confident about Republican prospects heading into the elections.