A decade later and nearing the midpoint of his final term, Trump is still pitching himself as America\u2019s essential repairman. It\u2019s a strategy that\u2019s helped him overcome daunting odds before but now guarantees this year\u2019s midterms<\/a> will be a referendum on his unpopular presidency. And it previews how difficult it will be for his party to prepare for a future without him as he shows little interest in ceding the stage.<\/p>\n On Thursday, the final night of Republicans\u2019 unusual midterm convention, Trump said he would speak for just a few minutes. Instead he held court for a half hour, repeating many of the points he made in a nearly two-hour speech the previous night, then lingered as balloons dropped from the ceiling and his favorite opera singer serenaded the crowd.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to do me a favor,\u201d he implored at one point. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to get out and vote, and you\u2019re going to pretend I\u2019m on the ballot. Because in a way, I\u2019m on the ballot.\u201d<\/p>\n That reflects Trump\u2019s central challenge heading into the final stretch of the midterms. No one since Ronald Reagan<\/a> has galvanized Republicans \u2014 and helped attract a broader range of voters to the party \u2014 quite like Trump. But that success only happens when Trump himself is on the ballot. He has repeatedly struggled to translate his personal popularity to success in competitive races when his election is not on the line.<\/p>\n During Trump\u2019s first midterms in 2018, Republicans lost 40 seats in the U.S. House. When he was off the ballot again in 2022, some of his marquee picks, such as Doug Mastriano for governor in Pennsylvania, lost their races.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a vulnerability Trump is well aware of.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no reason for it,\u201d he said of the historic headwinds a president\u2019s party faces in the midterms. \u201cIt\u2019s something deep down and psychological.\u201d<\/p>\n President Donald Trump speaks at the National Medal of Honor Museum, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)\n<\/p>\n Balloons fall on the crowd after President Donald Trump spoke at the Republican convention, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)\n<\/p>\n Vice President JD Vance speaks at the Republican convention Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/Alex Brandon)\n<\/p>\n Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at the Republican convention Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/Julio Cortez)\n<\/p>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 4<\/p>\n President Donald Trump speaks at the National Medal of Honor Museum, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)\n<\/p>\n Expand<\/a> Trump is betting that Republicans can maintain their grip on power by returning to a handful of now familiar moves ranging from depicting political opponents in catastrophic terms to leaning in on culture war issues involving transgender people. A pledge to send every American adult<\/a> $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate faces numerous political and financial hurdles but still garnered headlines at a time when it\u2019s tough to capture voter attention.<\/p>\n He\u2019s also highlighting what is, in his telling, the most successful opening stretch of any presidential term as he tamed immigration, saved the country from a nuclear-armed Iran and presided over economic success. All the while, he spruced up Washington and added a ballroom<\/a> to the White House that, much to his chagrin, he\u2019ll only be able to enjoy for a few months before his term ends.<\/p>\n That grandiose pitchman style, honed for years as a New York tabloid staple and reality television star, has propelled him through a cascade of crises, including two impeachments, several federal indictments and a criminal conviction. It\u2019s helped him connect with voters drawn to his confidence and bend reality to his vision.<\/p>\n But a protracted war, economic anxiety and accusations of corruption and personal enrichment are testing Trump\u2019s strategy. Just a third of U.S. adults approve of how he is handling the presidency, according to a July poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center<\/a> for Public Affairs Research. That\u2019s down slightly from 37% in June and well below the 42% who approved of his work when he took office.<\/p>\n Majorities also disapprove of his handling of the economy and immigration, issues that were central to Trump\u2019s election in 2024.<\/p>\n A Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday found 46% of registered voters said the Democratic Party was more in touch with the concerns of most people in the U.S., compared with 35% who said the same for the Republican Party.<\/p>\n The party begins looking toward 2028<\/p>\n Trump is working against a sobering reality that most presidents encounter around the sixth year of their time in the White House. Voters become restive for change and ambitious politicians begin gaming out ways to launch campaigns of their own.<\/p>\n Presidents can sometimes find themselves sidelined in these final years. During the 2000 and 2008 campaigns, Al Gore<\/a> and John McCain<\/a> campaigned sparingly with the presidents they were aiming to succeed, Bill Clinton<\/a> and George W. Bush<\/a>.<\/p>\n Trump is already fighting that fate. He\u2019s pledged to campaign in the coming weeks for Republicans in competitive races, something many candidates might not welcome as they seek to distance themselves from Trump.<\/p>\n And as the early contours of the next presidential campaign take shape, loyalty to Trump is again proving key. Vice President JD Vance, a potential 2028 candidate, hailed him on Thursday as the \u201ctoughest S.O.B. in American politics,\u201d earning a roar of applause from the Republican faithful.<\/p>\n That admiration for Trump could prove an asset in a Republican primary, where supporters of the president will wield significant influence. But it could leave the party\u2019s ultimate nominee in a difficult position in a general election, especially if Trump\u2019s popularity doesn\u2019t rebound.<\/p>\n After all, presidential politics can take unexpected turns.<\/p>\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/www.sandiegouniontribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Election_2_26_Texas_Trump_97267.jpg?w=620\")
<\/p>\n![\"Balloons](\"https:\/\/www.sandiegouniontribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Election_2_26_Republicans_5_42.jpg?w=620\")
<\/p>\n![\"Vice](\"https:\/\/www.sandiegouniontribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Election_2_26_Republicans_73_64.jpg?w=620\")
<\/p>\n![\"Sen.](\"https:\/\/www.sandiegouniontribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Election_2_26_Republicans_13586.jpg?w=620\")
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\nRepublicans break out their classic moves against Democrats<\/p>\n