{"id":2646341,"date":"2026-08-18T07:22:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T11:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-trump-vs-socialism-election\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T07:26:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T11:26:42","slug":"the-trump-vs-socialism-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-trump-vs-socialism-election\/","title":{"rendered":"The Trump vs. socialism election"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">10<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthe-trump-vs-socialism-election%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2646341&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>As the midterm elections approach less than 80 days away, questions loom about whether the vote will serve as a referendum on President Donald Trump or on the growing influence of socialism within the Democratic Party. Typically, midterms reflect the publicS sentiment towards the sitting president&#8217;s party, and Democrats have reasons to campaign accordingly. However, the current landscape shows a complex mix of issues and candidate dynamics.<\/p>\n<p>president Trump&#8217;s approval rating stands at just 39.2% on average, with even lower support on key issues like the economy and inflation. Polls indicate limited confidence in his handling of economic concerns ahead of an election that could hinge on affordability and related topics.<\/p>\n<p>The 2018 midterms saw Democrats gain significant ground, partly as Republicans nominated weaker candidates in some battleground states, delaying their eventual control of the Senate. This year, the rise of socialist insurgents within the Democratic primaries threatens to undermine the party&#8217;s chances in key races, especially in Michigan and Maine, where socialist-leaning candidates are contesting against experienced republicans. The Democratic Party&#8217;s embrace of a broad ideological &#8220;big tent&#8221; has inadvertently invited socialist ideas into mainstream politics, with some candidates distancing themselves from more radical wings while still being associated with them.<\/p>\n<p>Internal Democratic conflicts are evident,exemplified by progressive figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,who has distanced herself from more radical elements,signaling ongoing civil war within the party. Democrats aim to tie Republican opponents to Trump&#8217;s controversies, high gas prices, and foreign policy issues, employing strategies reminiscent of previous triumphant midterm campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>the outcome hinges on multiple factors: the strength of socialist candidates, party unity, and the ability of Republicans to capitalize on the Democrats&#8217; internal divisions and candidate weaknesses. The midterms could either reinforce existing trends or produce surprising shifts depending on voter turnout and candidate performance.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A big question less than 80 days out from Election Day: Will the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\">midterm elections <\/a>be a referendum on President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> or <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/4661780\/year-of-the-dsa-democratic-politics\/\">growing socialist power<\/a> inside the Democratic Party?<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer will probably be a little of both. Midterm elections are always a referendum on the party controlling the White House, and Democrats have plenty of reason to campaign that way this year.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4690604\/trump-vs-socialism-midterm-elections\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>The Trump vs. socialism election<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4690378\/florida-primaries-antisemitism-dsa-republicans-democrats\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Florida primaries test appetite for antisemitism and anti-Israel politics on Left and Right<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4690491\/transgender-rights-fight-raging-massachusetts-senate-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>A Democrat\u2019s apology hasn\u2019t calmed the transgender rights fight raging in Massachusetts Senate primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-poll-finds-newsoms-job-approval-ratings-plunge-amid-looming-recall\/\" title=\"New Poll Finds Newsom\u2019s Job Approval Ratings Plunge Amid Looming Recall\">job approval rating<\/a> is just 39.2% in a <em>RealClearPolitics<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/donald-trump\/approval-rating\">average of polls<\/a>. Drill down to specific issues likely to sway voters in the midterm elections, like the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/economy\/\">economy<\/a>, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/inflation\/\">inflation<\/a>, or <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iran\/\">Iran<\/a>, and his numbers are even worse. A <em>Financial Times<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/fd40a98d-2a7f-4246-a296-73e956bf03c0?syn-25a6b1a6=1\">poll<\/a> of registered voters found that just 25% approved of the job Trump is doing on inflation ahead of an election that may be decided on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/affordability\/\">affordability<\/a>. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2018, Trump\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/donald-trump\/approval-rating-1st-term\">average job approval rating <\/a>stood at 42.5%. Democrats won more than 40 House seats to capture the majority in what was the last true wave election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until this year, Democrats hope. But the party has increasingly fallen under the sway of insurgent socialist candidates who have won several competitive primaries this year. While most of them were nominated in safe blue congressional districts, a few will be on the November ballot in battleground states.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One such candidate, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abdul-el-sayed\/\">Abdul el Sayed<\/a>, is trailing in the Fox News Michigan Senate race <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/fox_august-6-10-2026_michigan_cross-tabs_august-13-release.pdf\">poll<\/a>. This is a state that hasn\u2019t elected a Republican senator since 1994, a big GOP wave election. But former Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-rogers\/\">Mike Rogers<\/a>, who only narrowly lost to Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) in 2024, is currently leading with 51% of the vote to el Sayed\u2019s 47% at the same time the Democratic candidate is ahead in the governor\u2019s race. The poll shows a lack of enthusiasm among black voters, a core Democratic constituency that preferred Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) in the primary, and more than a fifth of those who disapprove of Trump planning to vote for Rogers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were two main things that prevented the 2022 midterm elections under then-President Joe Biden from becoming a red wave. One was that Democrats held their own with voters who only somewhat disapproved of Biden. The other was Republicans nominated several Senate candidates who were not their strongest general-election contenders, a practice dating back to the tea party that denied the GOP Senate majorities in elections where the party was gaining House seats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2010, for example, Republicans gained 63 House seats and the majority in an unmistakable red wave. But it would take another four years for the party to win the Senate. Similarly, Republicans picked up nine seats and control of the House in 2022. But it took the GOP two more years to flip the Senate despite the Democrats\u2019 minuscule majority that, for much of that time period, was dependent on then-Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019s tiebreaking vote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If socialists fumble Senate races in Michigan and Maine this year, the latter a race against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), it will be difficult for Democrats to take the majority. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans may need to use the socialists, who are being opposed by the Democratic establishment in the primaries but then generally supported by them once nominated, to further tarnish their opponents\u2019 already dodgy political brand. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats \u201cthought they\u2019d found a clever dodge: a Democrat in a swing district could say he did not personally favor abolishing prisons or nationalizing large industries. His party simply contained many different opinions,\u201d veteran Republican consultant Alex Castellanos <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/spectator.com\/article\/the-democratic-partys-big-tent-is-a-big-mistake\/?edition=us&#038;utm_campaign=a%20big%20mistake&#038;utm_term=The%20Democrats%27%20Big%20Excuse&#038;utm_medium=email&#038;utm_source=directmailmac\">wrote<\/a> earlier this month. \u201cBut voters see something more frightening: the Big Tent is the Democratic Party\u2019s public invitation to socialism. It lays out a welcome mat for communism to enter the Democratic Party\u2019s home. Establishment Democrats know that such views have moved aggressively into their coalition, but they refuse to say they are disqualifying.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the other hand, the socialist uprising has made it easier for Democrats who are not at least adjacent to the Democratic Socialists of America to portray themselves, and be described in the media, as centrists, no matter how liberal.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is only a centrist compared to socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong, whose failed Wisconsin gubernatorial campaign was a bridge too far even for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/alexandria-ocasio-cortez\/\">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen AOC refuses to endorse the DSA front-runner for Wisconsin governor and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >calls pandemic-era progressive rhetoric \u2018crazy<\/a>,\u2019 the left is admitting what the data proves,\u201d Republican pollster Brent Buchanan wrote in a memo following the New York congresswoman\u2019s giggling \u201cWoke 1\u201d disavowal, adding, \u201cDemocrats spent years telling young voters that abolishing police and canceling Thanksgiving were mainstream positions. Now the most prominent progressive in Congress is running from the brand she helped build. Republicans should not let her rewrite the history. AOC confirmed on the record that the product was defective.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4687703\/byron-york-socialists-winning-democratic-civil-war\/\"><strong>DEMOCRATS\u2019 CIVIL WAR IS HEATING UP. BYRON YORK SAYS SOCIALISTS ARE WINNING<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, Democrats will be working overtime to tie down-ballot Republicans to Trump, the Iran war, high gas prices, and the scandals of other GOP lawmakers, similar to the playbook that netted them big gains the last time a second-term Republican commander in chief oversaw an unpopular war during a midterm election<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4677118\/shades-of-2006-midterm-elections-2026\/\"> in 2006<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a proven formula, unless the party favored in November blows winnable elections.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Midterms: Trump or socialism? A likely mixed vote<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2659,"featured_media":2646342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-collage-ja5p0lla3-1776970623893-e1776971982269.jpg?1776957577&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[6571,5894,12428,3634],"class_list":["post-2646341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-elections","tag-politics","tag-socialism","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-collage-ja5p0lla3-1776970623893-e1776971982269.jpg?1776957577&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2646341"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646341\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2646345,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646341\/revisions\/2646345"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2646342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2646341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2646341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2646341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}