Trump vanishes from GOP campaign ads

Republicans seeking office this cycle have largely ceased mentioning President Trump in their campaign advertisements, according to an analysis by Axios using data from AdImpact. This shift is significant as Trump has sought to make the 2026 midterms a referendum on his presidency, but his party has largely avoided this strategy. While Democrats have also reduced their use of Trump in their ads, the decline among Republicans, particularly those running for House seats, is more pronounced.

In primary elections, Trump was featured in 66% of Republican House ads, but this number has plummeted to just 3% in their general election ads. Similarly, in Senate races, Trump's mentions dropped from 77% in primary ads to 22% in general election ads. This trend is also seen in gubernatorial races, where Republican ads mentioning Trump fell by 34 percentage points.

Democrats, while not as reliant on Trump, have also pulled back from his name, with his mention dropping from 45% in primary ads to 18% in general election ads.

The analysis notes that while candidates often use prominent figures like Trump in primaries and then pivot to specific policy issues in general elections, the degree of this shift is notable this year. Trump has actively encouraged voters to see him as a candidate for the midterms, even demanding feature him in ads during the Republican midterm convention.

Despite this, Republican candidates are mentioning fewer of Trump's signature issues, including immigration and law enforcement, as their focus shifts to the economy and health care.