Trump’s War, Redistricting Setbacks Fan Republican Midterm Angst

US President Donald TrumpPhotographer: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg

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By Courtney Subramanian, Nancy Cook, and Hadriana Lowenkron

April 25, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC

For Republicans, this was the week midterm anxiety went from a smolder to a wildfire.

A botched redistricting effort, coming amid the standoff in the war with Iran, has left Republican operatives and lawmakers casting around for blame and their ire has increasingly focused on President Donald Trump’s political operation.