‘They’re really bad for the party’: Republican strategists say Democrats now have the momentum into 2026

Republican strategists acknowledge that their party is losing ground and momentum heading into the 2026 elections, with a key factor being the ongoing government shutdown, now the longest in history. Donald Trump himself admitted the shutdown was a "big factor, negative for Republicans," conceding his party is taking the majority of the blame. Recent Democratic victories, including in Virginia, have bolstered Democratic confidence, as they view these off-year races as a referendum on the Republican agenda and Donald Trump's potential second term. Strategists point to the shutdown and persistent cost-of-living issues stemming from inflation as reasons for Republican defeats. They warn that Republicans would be wise to heed these election results as an early warning system, suggesting the party is prioritizing partisan battles over addressing economic concerns. While some, like Vice President JD Vance, acknowledged the need to focus on domestic issues like affordability, he also dismissed the Virginia results as unrepresentative of the party's broader challenges. Other Republicans, such as Vivek Ramaswamy, agreed that the party "got our asses handed to us" and ... download the app to read more