Republicans Distance Themselves From Trump Ahead of Midterms

Republican lawmakers and candidates are increasingly creating distance from current President Trump as his declining approval ratings and unpopular positions threaten the party’s congressional majorities ahead of the November midterm elections. The breaks remain limited rather than a full-scale revolt, but they include demands for a diesel-export ban to address rising costs, criticism of Trump’s decision to host Chinese President Xi Jinping, and calls for scrutiny of Donald Trump Jr.’s foreign business dealings. Some Senate Republicans may also support a war-powers resolution concerning Iran, underscoring concerns about the political and economic costs of the administration’s foreign policy. In competitive races, strategists say Trump has become a liability, with candidates reducing references to him in advertisements and campaign websites even when he has endorsed them.