Republicans Face Midterm Crisis as Iran War, Gas Prices, and Plummeting Approval Threaten 2026 Prospects

This is your RNC News podcast. The US Republican Party and RNC face mounting challenges amid President Trump's escalating war with Iran, now in its second month as Operation Epic Fury. An American fighter jet was shot down over Iran on Friday, with one crew member rescued, intensifying public backlash as gas prices hit $4.08 per gallon due to the closed Strait of Hormuz. Trump addressed the nation this week, claiming victory is near while promising two more weeks of heavy strikes, but AP-NORC polls show six in ten Americans, including half of Republicans, view the conflict as gone too far, with only a third approving his handling. His overall approval sits at 40 percent, dragging down GOP prospects seven months before midterms where Democrats lead generic ballots by 5.5 points and more Republicans are retiring from the House. The RNC has sidestepped the war in its talking points, leaving vulnerable candidates ducking the issue as the Pentagon seeks $200 billion in funding. Trump's fiscal 2027 budget, released Friday, proposes a record $1.5 trillion for defense—including Golden Dome missile shields, Trump-class battleships, and 7 percent pay raises for junior troops—via partisan reconciliation, paired with 10 percent cuts to non-defense spending like renewable energy grants. This risks alienating voters amid economic fallout, with CFR analysis warning the war heightens pressure on Republican House and Senate seats. On policy, Pew Research reveals Republicans increasingly prioritize fossil fuels, with 71 percent favoring oil, gas, and coal over renewables—a doubling since 2020—as energy costs soar and views sour on wind and solar reliability. Meanwhile, speculation grows about the party's post-Trump future; David Drucker in the Post-Gazette predicts the MAGA coalition that won in 2024 will fracture by 2028, unlikely to endure without the 79-year-old leader. Thank you for tuning in, listeners—please subscribe for more updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For great Trump Merch https://amzn.to/49SJ3Qs Fore more great podcasts check out http://www.quietplease.ai