This Is What the GOP’s Final Midterms Push Looks Like
Republicans are spending their time and money on Senate races in historically red states—a sign they’re more nervous than ever as Election Day looms.
As the midterm elections approach, Republicans are launching their final push to defend historically Republican Senate seats that have become competitive. Four states—Kansas, South Carolina, Nebraska, and Mississippi—are now under scrutiny, presenting a daunting challenge for the GOP in their effort to maintain control of the upper chamber.
Trump operatives involved in the campaign assert that they do not anticipate Democrats winning these Senate seats and have mainly directed GOP-aligned outside groups to assist the incumbent senators.
The Senate Republican-aligned Senate Leadership Fund allocated $14 million during the final week of the campaign across these four states, with the largest portion—over $5 million—going to Kansas. Kansas has been a persistent concern since October when Trafalgar Group, a GOP pollster, revealed that Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton led incumbent Republican senator Roger Marshall by just one point.
Marshall has faced criticism over his legal actions against patients with unpaid bills and his frequent trips to Florida, which have raised questions about his dedication to the race. In South Carolina, SLF contributed roughly $5 million to aid incumbent Darline Graham, who has struggled to engage Trump supporters despite her primary victory.
In Nebraska, the fund spent nearly $3 million to assist Republican senator Pete Ricketts, while Mississippi received nearly $1 million for Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith.
The last-minute spending underscores the mounting vulnerabilities Republicans must address. Trump's campaign itinerary has included visits to the traditionally red states, with stops in Kansas and South Carolina last week, followed by Mississippi and additional trips to Kansas and South Carolina this week. However, Democratic candidates have not widened their leads in several key Senate races, including Michigan—a crucial state for Democrats to regain control.
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate, has faced challenges in uniting Michigan's Black and Arab communities, divisions that were exacerbated during the primary when supporters of his opponent, Haley Stevens, ran ads featuring Barack Obama endorsing her. In an attempt to mend these rifts, Obama attended a joint rally with El-Sayed in Detroit over the weekend, hoping to rekindle some support. Whether these efforts will be sufficient remains uncertain.
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