Impact of Trump on Midterms
Published on August 01, 2026
SAVE Act, Affordability are Trump's Self-Inflicted Wounds
If you’ve been wondering why Trump’s recent moves seem like they won’t help Republicans in November, Joyce Vance has a good answer. In her recent newsletter, “The Ever Expanding, Power Hungry Trump Presidency” she wrote:
“Trump isn’t worried about the presidency. Let’s get that straight from the start. He is not an institutionalist. This is about his personal power and how much of government authority and resources he can concentrate in his own hands. We see it with his ongoing assertion of control over elections, tariffs, immigration, the Justice Department and its conduct of his revenge agenda, going to and staying at war.”
The impact of Trump’s ego on the upcoming midterm elections is worth thinking about, especially if it helps his opponents. See below for an example.
Republicans are very worried about the November elections. Donald Trump’s approval ratings on the economy have dropped to historic lows as voters express deep frustration over the cost of living. Recent polling shows roughly 33% to 34% approval for his handling of the economy, driven by backlash over high prices, tariffs, and his recent dismissal of "affordability" as a political hoax. It’s imperative that Republican candidates have something credible to campaign on that shows their commitment to what’s become known as the “affordability issue.” That’s what the 21st Century Road to Housing Act was supposed to be. But Trump refused to sign it to protest the failure of the Republican controlled Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, an unconstitutional bill that would restrict voter rolls to people likely to vote for Trump/Republicans.
What aspiring autocrat wouldn’t want to control who gets to vote (and not coincidentally validate in Trump’s eyes his belief he won the 2020 election)? Here’s how Robert Hubbell framed it: “Trump’s refusal to sign the one piece of legislation that addresses the most significant issue heading into the midterms (affordability) is a self-inflicted wound that Democrats should seize upon at every opportunity....[In a] tantrum unworthy of a toddler, Trump refused to sign the bipartisan bill designed to make housing more affordable for Americans.” Hubbell cautions that we can’t count on the Trump Administration to lose the November elections for us, but he’s tracking a number of stories that will help.