President Donald Trump asserted on Tuesday that Republicans would have won ‘in a landslide’ in the midterm elections if he had been on the ballot, despite Democrats securing control of the House and flipping Senate seats in key states.
Trump made the claim in a Truth Social post shortly after 10 p.m. ET, as early results indicated significant losses for Republican candidates. The statement marked a shift from his previous rhetoric, where he had urged supporters to ‘pretend I’m on the ballot’ during campaign rallies.
Key outcomes reported
- Democrats were projected to regain control of the House of Representatives.
- Democrats flipped Republican-held Senate seats in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
- In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Trump-endorsed candidate Darline Graham, the sister of late Senator Lindsey Graham.
Immediate Reactions and Statements
Trump’s Truth Social post read: ‘I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE.’ He shared the statement after multiple news outlets projected Democratic gains in both chambers of Congress.
A White House official echoed Trump’s sentiment, attributing the losses to ‘candidate quality’ and arguing that the results were not a referendum on the administration. The official stated: ‘President Trump did a better job promoting many of the candidates on the ballot than the candidates did themselves.’
In an interview with The New York Times, Trump said he had no regrets about endorsing Graham and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, both of whom lost their races. He added: ‘I am absolutely willing to accept those results.’
Context: Trump’s Role in the Midterms
Trump had actively campaigned for Republican candidates ahead of the elections, making multiple appearances and urging supporters to imagine he was running. On Monday, he told Fox News host Sean Hannity: ‘I’m just asking everybody to pretend that I’m on the ballot… If our people vote, we win in a landslide.’
However, as results rolled in, Hannity—who had previously framed the midterms as a referendum on Trump’s leadership—suggested that historical patterns could mitigate Republican losses. Speaking on Fox News, he noted that presidents often suffer midterm setbacks before rebounding in subsequent elections. Hannity cited examples such as Ronald Reagan in 1982 and Barack Obama in 2010, both of whom lost seats in the House but later won re-election.
State-by-State Results Highlighted
- South Carolina: Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Trump-backed Darline Graham in a race that had been closely watched. Andrews, a pediatrician, became the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in South Carolina since 1998.
- North Carolina: Democrat Roy Cooper won re-election, becoming the state’s first Democratic senator since 2008.
- Texas: Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, marking the first time a Democrat won a Senate race in Texas since 1988.
Broader Implications
The midterm results raised questions about the influence of Trump’s endorsements on Republican campaigns. While Trump had framed the elections as a test of his leadership, his post-election statement suggested a strategic pivot to distance himself from the outcomes. Political analysts noted that the losses could reshape the GOP’s approach to candidate selection and campaign strategies ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
As vote counting continued, both parties began assessing the long-term impact of the results on their legislative agendas and electoral strategies.