Syndicated columnist Clarence Page writes that former President Donald Trump provided "immense" assistance to Democrats in their historic sweep of the 2026 midterm elections by making the races a referendum on himself. Page notes that Trump urged voters at rallies to "pretend I'm on the ballot," a message that resonated as voters connected Trump to their top concerns.
Page attributes GOP losses largely to economic fallout from Trump's policies. He cites a New York Federal Reserve Bank finding that tariffs added 2.9 percentage points to consumer prices, and argues Trump's conflict with Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil and fertilizer supplies. Trump dismissed affordability concerns as a liberal "hoax," a stance Page says cost Republicans dearly.
The column also highlights the cancellation of 83 percent of USAID programs in early 2025, which NPR reported led to more than 700,000 deaths, including over half a million children. Page criticizes the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, for operating without public scrutiny, and condemns militarized immigration raids that disrupted local economies.
Page draws historical parallels to the 1974 post-Watergate backlash and the 2006 midterms under President George W. Bush, when an unpopular war led to GOP losses. He notes that Trump's 2024 gains among minorities, women, and young white men vanished in the 2026 election.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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