Trump and GOP plot strategy

"At the House GOP retreat in sunny Doral, Florida, White House deputy chief of staff James Blair told lawmakers to stop emphasizing 'mass deportations,' Axios scooped earlier Tuesday. Mass deportations were central to the GOP's 2024 campaign message, so Blair's advice captured attention. Instead, he told lawmakers, focus on deporting violent offenders."

"The emerging strategy: remind voters of Democrats' Biden-era positions on crime, cashless bail and open borders, according to people familiar with the matter. The panelists, led by National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson, reminded lawmakers of the GOP's unprecedented cash advantage."

"History is not on the GOP's side this November. Republicans lost 41 House seats in Trump's first midterm. President Obama's Democrats lost 63 seats in 2010, the first midterm after he was elected. Lawmakers in both parties are fleeing Congress at a record rate, with 34 Republicans and 21 Democrats planning to leave the House."

Speaker Mike Johnson and Trump's team are pursuing an unconventional strategy to maintain House Republican control ahead of the midterm elections. At a GOP retreat in Florida, White House deputy chief of staff James Blair advised lawmakers to stop emphasizing mass deportations and instead focus on deporting violent offenders. The emerging strategy targets voters by reminding them of Democrats' Biden-era positions on crime, cashless bail, and open borders. Republicans possess an unprecedented cash advantage and stronger organizational infrastructure. However, historical patterns work against them: the party holding the presidency typically loses significant House seats in midterms, with Trump's first midterm resulting in 41 Republican losses. Additionally, record numbers of lawmakers from both parties are departing Congress, with departures historically correlating to seat losses.

Read at Axios