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Republican candidates weigh distancing from Trump as midterms near

Candidates in close races weigh distancing from Trump as polls show weak approval on cost of living.

Updated Oct 9, 2026 · 20:52 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • Republican candidates in close November 3 midterm races face a dilemma over distancing from Trump.[BBC News]
  • Polls show weak approval of Trump's handling of cost-of-living issues, and a YouGov survey finds 63% of respondents think the economy is getting worse.[BBC News]
  • Florida's Byron Donalds omits Trump from his stump speech, while Maine's Susan Collins cites 137 votes against Trump, by her own account.[BBC News · ABC News]
  • Many polls show battleground races in a dead heat, so whether distancing from Trump will help candidates remains unclear until the vote.[BBC News]

Key facts

  • Trump says the US has the best economic numbers of any president, while inflation stands at 3.4%, outpacing wage growth.[BBC News]
  • A YouGov survey found 63% of respondents believe the economy is getting worse.[BBC News]
  • An AP/NORC poll found 17% of adults approve of Trump's handling of cost-of-living issues and 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall.[BBC News]
  • Florida Republican Byron Donalds, running for governor with Trump's backing, did not mention Trump in his stump speech.[BBC News]
  • Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers said he privately urged the White House to reach a trade deal with Canada and end tariffs.[Associated Press]
  • Michigan Rep. Tom Barrett declined to defend Trump's remarks floating Iran attacking San Diego and Los Angeles.[Associated Press]
  • Maine Senator Susan Collins said she voted against Trump 137 times in this Congress and criticized the war in Iran.[ABC News]
  • Many polls show battleground congressional and state races in a dead heat.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether distancing from Trump will help or hurt candidates in tight races is unknown; coverage describes the choice as risky either way.[BBC News]
  • Race outcomes are not yet known, and the cited polling figures are as reported by their sources rather than independently verified.[Associated Press · BBC News · ABC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.