Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff
H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA
Perched on the 68th floor of the Westin hotel in downtown Atlanta, new Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Joe Gruters looked out over the city skyline and outlined the stakes of the 2026 midterm elections.
“If Democrats win back control of Congress, Donald Trump’s presidency is basically over,” Gruters, 48, told USA TODAY. A longtime Trump ally from Florida, Gruters has been tasked with steering the GOP through a high-stakes election cycle as the president’s approval ratings slide and Democrats eye a comeback.
Despite sagging poll numbers, Trump’s approval rating recently dropped to 38% in a Pew survey Republicans are rallying behind the president’s push to cement GOP dominance. At the RNC’s summer meeting in Atlanta, party leaders embraced Trump’s call for mid-decade redistricting, tighter voting laws, and a campaign agenda focused heavily on cultural battles.
Trump himself has been directly involved in shaping strategy, urging GOP-controlled states like Texas, Florida, and Missouri to redraw congressional maps in Republicans’ favor. He has also floated an executive order to restrict mail-in voting, a move Democrats say is designed to suppress turnout.
“The president’s committed to winning. The party’s committed to winning,” Gruters said, defending Trump’s full-throttle approach.
Republicans argue that Trump’s record on issues like immigration and transgender athletes will resonate with moderates, while Democrats warn his second-term agenda is authoritarian in tone.
Democrats have blasted Republicans’ redistricting efforts as blatant gerrymandering. Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder accused Trump of trying to “rig the system” to avoid defeat. In response, Democrats in California quickly advanced their own redrawn congressional map to offset GOP gains in Texas.
With both parties racing to secure favorable electoral maps, the battle for control of the House is already intensifying nearly two years before voters head to the polls.
Florida remains a critical testing ground. Under Gruters’ leadership as state party chair, Republicans turned the state from purple to solidly red, aided by voter registration drives and election law changes backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump’s 2024 margin of victory in Florida more than 13 points underscored the state’s rightward shift.
Now, Florida Republicans say another round of redistricting could deliver up to four additional GOP-leaning seats heading into 2026. “It’s our turn,” said Missouri RNC member David Lightner.
Historically, the party in power loses congressional seats in the midterms, and Trump’s polarizing policies — from mass deportations to sweeping tariff hikes are energizing Democratic opposition. Economic headwinds, including rising inflation and slowing job growth, add further uncertainty.
Still, Republican leaders insist they are positioned to withstand the backlash. Vice President JD Vance and other party heavyweights used the Atlanta meetings to rally support and highlight what they call Trump’s “remarkable” record of change.
Whether that message resonates with voters or fuels a Democratic resurgence will define not just the 2026 elections but the legacy of Trump’s second term.
