Republicans and some administration officials have often rolled their eyes when it comes to evaluating the impact of President Trump’s tumultuous governing style on midterm elections, claiming voters instead will vote approval of economic advances since his election.
But a Democrat’s slim lead in Tuesday’s Pennsylvania special election in a deeply red House district where Trump campaigned in the past week is raising new questions about his impact.
“The White House’s behavior is engendering fear and disgust in the public, and that is what we saw yesterday,” said Steven Kopits, who runs the conservative Princeton Policy Advisors in New Jersey.
House leaders have suggested that the GOP majority will be safe if candidates focus on the economy, local issues, and ignore taunts from opponents over Trump.
However, they have also voiced concerns that some 45 members are not doing enough or raising enough money to fight off a strong Democratic challenge in the fall.
And Kopits said that conservative voters are also concerned about stability in Washington and that Trump isn’t delivering.
“Clearly, prosperity did not take the day. It’s not the economy, stupid,” said Kopits, widely published in Washington journals and a banking and immigration expert.
“Rather, other conservatives issues torpedoed the Republicans. Safety and order are closely related, and the personnel turmoil in the White House greatly undermines conservatives confidence that leadership is in control. The method of dismissal of Secretary [of State Rex] Tillerson was deeply offensive in terms of respect. That is not how a senior administration member is to be dismissed, notwithstanding any personal or policy disagreements. The on-going churn out of the White House speaks to a lack of responsibility,” he said.
