2026 Midterms: Divided Democrats And Republicans Battle Over Economy v Trump's Geopolitics

It’s not easy being a Republican these days. On one hand, party strategists are obsessed with the economy. “Stick to the message!” they cry, hammering away at gas prices, groceries, and the cost of dog walking. On the other, Donald Trump is more interested in reshaping the world order. Iran? Cuba? Even Greenland gets a mention. The result? Two campaigns running in parallel, and neither seems able to control the other. Jon Levine, from the Washington Free Beacon, sums it up: “Success is its own justification.” If Trump can pull off a foreign policy win, say flipping Iran to a pro-American regime, who cares about the price of tomatoes? Legacy, not lunch, is what animates the man. While Trump’s gaze is fixed on foreign affairs, Marco Rubio is quietly becoming the White House’s adult-in-chief. Levine calls him “a rock star,” noting he's got the president’s ear and isn’t embroiled in the cabinet chaos plaguing others. Pam Bondi’s Epstein disaster and Christine Noem’s Minneapolis mess, the bar for “peak performance” is low. Across the aisle, things aren’t much better. AOC’s Munich trip was “the 20 most awkward seconds in television history.” Her foreign policy boils down to “Israel bad.” Ask her about Taiwan, and it’s meltdown time. Gavin Newsom tries to out-Trump Trump with jokey tweets, but landmines await: “Can a biological man compete in women’s sports?” No answer. “What’s the minimum age for gender reassignment?” Silence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices