2026 Midterm Blame Game: Who’s Taking the Fall?

[upbeat music] All right, next up, my reported monologue.

I've been talking to a lot of strategists in both parties this week, and, um, trying to get their sense of where things stand.

And Republicans are, you know, understandably a little concerned about where things stand, a little, uh, w- uh, upset, uh, about what could be a horrible outcome for them.

Political strategists, I've been dealing with them my whole career.

They're an interesting breed of cat.

Uh, they're some of the most interesting people, some of the most, uh, intense, knowledgeable, uh, competitive.

Um, uh, very impressive group.

Uh, but they're also world-class haters.

The venom that they can unleash is quite something.

And you'd think the venom would be, um, Democrat on a Republican or Republican on Democrat.

No, the real venom is inside both parties.

Uh, when they're angry with someone in their party, that's when things get intense.

We're talking, like, early in Wicked, Glinda and Elphaba, like, that level of, uh, loathing.

And, uh, it's like Yankees-Red Sox, but as if they were the same team.

They just get so angry because, uh, their livelihood depends on winning.

If you're a Republican strategist or a consultant, uh, y- you, you start doing a f- a circular firing squad.

You get the bazookas from inside the tent if you feel someone's causing you to lose a race.

Because if you lose a race, uh, you may not get another client, and if you lose a race and you're blamed, it may cost you your business.

This is a group of competitive people, and, uh, right now there's a lot of blame already starting.

There's two campaigns basically taking place in the Republican Party because they're not feeling too good right now.

One is to try to win, uh, because they still believe they can salvage their individual races and, and, and, uh, and, and win their-- win for their clients.

But there's also a parallel campaign to not be blamed if things go poorly.

Now, Democrats aren't doing much of that yet 'cause they're feeling good.

If it turns out disappointing for them, believe me, they'll do the exact same thing.

But it's the Republicans right now, and they're the ones who are starting to already point the fingers, already, uh, uh, engage in the f- circular firing squad, and, uh, they're, they're looking for somebody to blame.

[upbeat music] All right, next up, my reported monologue.

I've been talking to a lot of strategists in both parties this week, and, um, trying to get their sense of where things stand.

And Republicans are, you know, understandably a little concerned about where things stand, a little, uh, w- uh, upset, uh, about what could be a horrible outcome for them.

Political strategists, I've been dealing with them my whole career.

They're an interesting breed of cat.

Uh, they're some of the most interesting people, some of the most, uh, intense, knowledgeable, uh, competitive.

Um, uh, very impressive group.

Uh, but they're also world-class haters.

The venom that they can unleash is quite something.

And you'd think the venom would be, um, Democrat on a Republican or Republican on Democrat.

No, the real venom is inside both parties.

Uh, when they're angry with someone in their party, that's when things get intense.

We're talking, like, early in Wicked, Glinda and Elphaba, like, that level of, uh, loathing.

And, uh, it's like Yankees-Red Sox, but as if they were the same team.

They just get so angry because, uh, their livelihood depends on winning.

If you're a Republican strategist or a consultant, uh, y- you, you start doing a f- a circular firing squad.

You get the bazookas from inside the tent if you feel someone's causing you to lose a race.

Because if you lose a race, uh, you may not get another client, and if you lose a race and you're blamed, it may cost you your business.

This is a group of competitive people, and, uh, right now there's a lot of blame already starting.

There's two campaigns basically taking place in the Republican Party because they're not feeling too good right now.

One is to try to win, uh, because they still believe they can salvage their individual races and, and, and, uh, and, and win their-- win for their clients.

But there's also a parallel campaign to not be blamed if things go poorly.

Now, Democrats aren't doing much of that yet 'cause they're feeling good.

If it turns out disappointing for them, believe me, they'll do the exact same thing.

But it's the Republicans right now, and they're the ones who are starting to already point the fingers, already, uh, uh, engage in the f- circular firing squad, and, uh, they're, they're looking for somebody to blame.