PrairiePundit

 NY Post: Common wisdom holds that Democrats are likely to retake the House in next year’s midterms. Perhaps — that’s what history would suggest. But a recent poll shows that Republicans retain relative strength on important core issues. CNN’s Harry Enten summarized those data well in a recent appearance: Looking at the Washington Post/IPSOS poll, Enten found that Republicans retained a lead over Democrats on which party voters trust more to handle the economy, crime and immigration. The numbers aren’t close, either. The GOP leads the Democrats by 7 percentage points on the economy, 13 points on immigration and a whopping 22 points on crime. ... You would almost have to be willfully blind to vote for the Democrats on crime, immigration, or the economy.  These are some of the reasons that Democrats are currently polling in the 30s.

  DC Daily Journal: ... Vice President JD Vance secured $4 million for the Republican National Committee (RNC) during a fundraising trip to the United Kingdom last week, meeting with American donors in the Cotswolds and Scotland, a source familiar with the matter told the New York Post. The funds, raised under federal rules allowing contributions from Americans abroad, add to the GOP’s financial reserves as it prepares for the 2026 midterms. Vance, appointed RNC finance chair in March 2025, has been actively fundraising across the U.S. and now internationally, positioning himself as a key figure in President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement and a likely contender for the 2028 GOP presidential nomination. ... While this money will be helpful to Republicans in the midterms coming up, it also demonstrates Vance's ability to prepare for a 2028 campaign of his own.  See also: The DNC’s Summer Fundraising Woes Show a Party Struggling to Rebuild The Democrati...

 DC Daily Journal: ... A recent Marist/NPR/PBS News poll reveals a stark reality for Democrats in Congress: most Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with their performance. The survey, conducted from June 23 to June 25, 2025, shows that only 27% of registered voters approve of how congressional Democrats are handling their duties, a sharp decline from 39% in February 2024. Meanwhile, 58% of voters disapprove, and 15% remain uncertain, signaling a growing frustration with Democratic leadership as the 2026 midterm elections loom. The poll highlights a troubling trend for Democrats, who appear out of touch with the priorities of average Americans. Even within their own ranks, Democrats are divided, with 44% approving of their congressional leaders and 43% expressing disapproval. This lack of unity suggests an inability to rally around a cohesive vision that resonates with the public, leaving many voters questioning the party’s direction. By contrast, congressional Republicans are ...

 Daily Torch: ... The correlations are not perfectly proportional, but independent voters’ preferences tend to predict the party that wins power in the midterm election cycle. Looking ahead to 2026, Democrats could struggle significantly to regain the power they hope to, particularly considering approval ratings for Democrats are far worse than for Republicans among independents. A detailed report from Democratic-leaning firm Navigator Research that circulated among Democrats this spring points to a deeply worrying midterm election cycle for Democrats. The survey polled voters across 62 competitive House districts and found faith in Congressional Democrats was down across the board, but particularly with independents and undecided or persuadable voters. The Navigator survey found that Congressional Democrats are underwater by over twice as many points as Congressional Republicans with independent voters in battleground House districts. ... This is a group that can swing elect...

 DC Daily Journal: ... The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) unleashed a powerful signal of confidence this week, unveiling a poll that positions House Republicans to not only defend but expand their majority in the 2026 midterms. Conducted from April 13-18, and first reported by Punchbowl News , the survey paints a vivid picture of a political landscape tilting decisively in favor of the GOP, fueled by voter frustration with Democratic missteps and a resurgent America First agenda. Shared initially at a House Republican Conference meeting, the poll draws a stark contrast between the current political climate and the lead-up to the 2018 midterms, when Democrats rode a so-called “blue wave” during President Donald Trump’s first term. Back then, Democrats enjoyed a commanding six-point lead on the generic Congressional ballot in April 2017. Today, the NRCC’s findings reveal Democrats clinging to a mere one-point edge, a dramatic shift that signals waning support for ...

 Fox News: As congressional Republicans gear up for a bruising battle in the 2026 midterm elections to hold onto their razor-thin House majority, President Donald Trump is stepping up his efforts as well. The president on Tuesday evening will headline a major donor event in the nation's capital for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which is the House GOP's campaign arm. The fundraiser is expected to haul in at least $10 million for the NRCC, a source familiar with the event tells Fox News. Republicans currently control the House – when the chamber returns to full strength – with a fragile 220-215 majority, and fundraising will be crucial to the GOP's game-plan to keep control. Asked what concerns him the most when it comes to defending the House majority, NRCC chair Rep. Richard Hudson said in a Fox News Digital interview on Monday that "Democrats have a structural advantage when it comes to fundraising. They always seem to have just mountains o...

  The Hill: Democrats are stumbling out of the gate ahead of the Senate elections in 2026, with early retirements stacking the odds against them in the battle for a majority they lost in November’s elections. New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen on Wednesday became the third Democratic incumbent to announce she would not seek reelection in 2026, following Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith and Michigan Sen. Gary Peters. Democrats could hold the Senate seats in all three states in 2026, as the party out of the White House historically gained ground in the first midterm election of a president’s term. But it will certainly be more of an uphill climb without the three incumbents. Democrats also lost a major recruit for the Michigan race when former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he would not run for the Senate. The end result is a map Republicans see as ripe with opportunities, and one where Democrats will be playing some defense. In addition to defending seats in Michigan, Minnesot...

 PJ Media: ... Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) just became the latest Democrat to  abandon ship ahead  of what's shaping up to be a brutal 2026 election cycle for them. And, surprise, surprise — she's blaming Trump for her decision to call it quits. "It was a difficult decision, made more difficult by the current environment in the country — by President Trump and what he's doing right now," Shaheen whined, perfectly encapsulating the left's perpetual Trump Derangement Syndrome. Related :  This Is Literally The Worst News Democrats Could Get Right Now Shaheen's retirement creates yet another headache for Chuck Schumer and his increasingly desperate Democrats. They're already dealing with the retirement announcements of Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). At this rate, Schumer might need anxiety medication to make it through 2026. ... Let's be honest — these Democrats aren't retiring because they're ready for shuffleboard and ...

 The Hill: Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith’s (D) decision to not run for reelection in 2026 is adding another headache for Democrats trying to win back control of the Senate in two years. Smith became the second Senate Democrat to announce their retirement in the past few weeks after Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.) also decided against seeking another term last month. Michigan is more solidly a battleground state than the Democratic-leaning Minnesota, which hasn’t elected a Republican senator in more than two decades. But Smith’s retirement has offered Republicans a unique opening for the seat, likely requiring Democrats to put up some defense to keep it within the fold. “I think there’s no question potentially this could expand the battleground map, right?” said Democratic strategist and attorney Abou Amara. “And so anytime you’re expanding the map to defend, that means you’ve got to have resources to do that.” “I think part of whoever becomes the candidate or the nominee is really going to ne...