Senate Republicans see Trump as a growing political liability

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The Hill's Headlines - Sunday, August 2, 2026

The Hill's Headlines - Sunday, August 2, 2026

Senate Republicans say they see President Trump as a growing political liability as they try to hang on to control of the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, citing the president’s repeated attacks on their ability to govern and his refusal to abandon a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund for MAGA allies.

GOP senators also warn that Trump’s relentless demands that the Senate pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act before the election, even though it has little to no chance of becoming law, risk “demoralizing” the Republican base.

And they fear Trump’s refusal to abandon the $1.8 billion compensation fund for MAGA allies is playing into Democratic political attacks that the Trump administration is corrupt.

New polls showing Republican candidates trailing their Democratic challengers in North Carolina and GOP-leaning states including Ohio, Iowa and Texas underscore what GOP senators and the leadership see as a need to push back against Trump on key issues.

One Republican senator, who requested anonymity to discuss colleagues’ views of Trump’s sinking approval rating and his impact on congressional races, said that fellow GOP senators view Trump as a growing political liability.

“That’s the perception in the room,” the lawmaker said of the discussion within the Senate GOP conference, noting that even Republican colleagues in rock-solid red states such as Sen. Roger Marshall (Kan.) may have to sweat out close races.

Some Republican senators think Sen. Pete Ricketts (R) — who’s running for reelection in Nebraska, another farm state hit hard by the Trump economy — could be vulnerable against independent challenger Dan Osborn.

Trump won Kansas and Nebraska by 16 points and 20 points, respectively, but since then his job approval rating has steadily dropped, especially among self-identified independents, who are shifting away from the Republican Party in significant numbers.

Several other Republican incumbents face tough reelections, including Sens. Susan Collins in Maine, Jon Husted in Ohio and Dan Sullivan in Alaska, and colleagues say they’re battling major headwinds caused by Trump’s low approval ratings.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Trump’s refusal to........

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