A growing number of Republican candidates in competitive US midterm races are seeking to separate themselves from President Donald Trump on issues including immigration, the war in Iran and campaign messaging, even as Trump urges the party to make the November elections a referendum on his presidency.
The shift comes as Trump’s approval rating has fallen and Democrats have gained ground in congressional preference polling. A September Reuters/Ipsos poll put Trump’s approval at 32%, his lowest recorded level in that poll, while Democrats held an eight-point advantage over Republicans among registered voters asked which party they would support for Congress.
Some Republican candidates have begun making clear distinctions between themselves and the president.
In Florida, one Republican representative released an advertisement warning that Trump’s immigration crackdown had “gone too far” and saying Hispanic voters “feel betrayed.”
In Iowa, a Republican Senate candidate called for the war with Iran to end immediately, arguing that voters were facing the effects of higher prices. Two Republican House members have also supported measures seeking to restrict Trump’s ability to continue military action.
Political strategist Mike Fahey described the moves as an attempt at “brand separation,” saying candidates were trying to create distance from Trump on issues where they faced the greatest political pressure.
“You’re seeing candidates create daylight on issues where the political pressure is greatest,” he said. “The message isn’t necessarily ‘I’m against Trump.’ It’s ‘I’m my own person.’”
The latest polling has added pressure to the Republican Party. The Reuters/Ipsos survey found that only 17% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while 34% approved of his handling of the Iran war.
Communications expert Kevin Mercuri said Republicans had previously assumed voters would tolerate policies associated with Trump, but argued that the Iran conflict, fuel prices and wider affordability concerns were changing the political environment.
Trump, however, has continued to encourage Republicans to campaign as though he himself were on the ballot.
“You have to pretend I am on the ticket,” Trump told a Republican midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month.
Some Republicans in competitive races have also reduced their association with Trump in their campaign branding. Maine Senator Susan Collins was among Republicans who did not attend the Dallas gathering, while California Representative Young Kim removed “America First” branding and references to Trump from her campaign website after her primary.
The approach remains selective rather than a complete break with the president. Some candidates continue to display Trump’s endorsement prominently and maintain ties with his political organisation and supporters.
The Republican National Committee has told candidates to run the races they need to run, while acknowledging that Trump understands they may need to add “nuance” to some policy positions to appeal to voters.
Trump has also shown that he does not always welcome public disagreements from Republican candidates.
After Florida Representative María Elvira Salazar released her immigration advertisement, Trump said he still supported her but added that she had become “a little bit soft on the border.”
Daniel Drezner, a professor of International Politics at Tufts University, said Republican candidates risked facing difficulties from both sides if they moved too far away from Trump.
Such efforts “might alienate the MAGA base but not attract independents who are furious” with the party’s policy miscues, he said.
For Republicans facing difficult races, the strategy therefore appears focused on presenting themselves as independent political figures while maintaining enough of a connection with Trump to avoid losing his core supporters.
Peter Loge, director of George Washington University’s School of Media, compared the approach to fixing practical problems rather than engaging voters in political arguments.
“Smart candidates are like good plumbers, they find and fix problems that matter,” he said.
Source: AFP
