White House Aides Already Hunting for a Scapegoat Ahead of Possible Midterm Losses
Aides to US President Donald Trump are reportedly looking for someone to blame should Republicans suffer heavy losses in the November congressional midterms, Wired reports. Attention has settled on deputy chief of staff James Blair.
Aides in President Donald Trump's White House have begun searching for a scapegoat in case Republicans suffer heavy losses in the November midterm elections, according to Wired, which cites sources familiar with the matter. The midterms decide all seats in the US House of Representatives and part of the Senate, and forecasts for several key races look grim for the party. Republicans could lose not only their House majority but possibly the Senate as well.
Who gets the blame
Wired's sources say some Republican political operatives privately believe the real fault lies with Trump, because he started a war with Iran in an election year. In their view, that pushed prices up across the board and triggered a nationwide voter backlash. One operative put it bluntly: it is the president's fault. Aides, however, cannot say so publicly or to Trump himself.
Attention has therefore turned to deputy chief of staff and political strategist James Blair. He organized the turnout strategy of Trump's 2024 campaign and returned to that role for this election cycle. His efforts included a plan for certain states to redraw congressional district maps early, intended to yield roughly 10 to 15 extra House seats for Republicans.
Redrawn maps turn against the party
Election forecasters now find that some of the redistricted seats favor Democrats. Florida's 25th district, just south of Fort Lauderdale, is rated "Lean Democrat", and the Congressional Leadership Fund, a House Republican–aligned group, has pulled money out of the race. In Texas, the Cook Political Report rates Republican Monica De La Cruz's race in the 15th district a "tossup".
Blair's allies call the criticism unfair, arguing he could not have foreseen the effects of the Iran war and of scandals involving Trump officials. He is also seen as retaining the confidence of Trump and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, and he flew on Air Force One to two rallies in the past week. Blair said he and the president remain focused on winning in November. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle dismissed the reporting as baseless speculation.
