As the 2026 midterms approach their conclusion, the strategies of the GOP and the behavior of former President Trump appear to be on a downward spiral together.
Note: I’ll host an open discussion thread on election night, Tuesday, November 3rd, to analyze the outcome of the American midterms as results come in.
The most glaring incident occurred with a botched attack ad in Ohio, exemplifying the chaotic strategy alongside Trump’s peculiar praise of rising gas prices and his comments regarding the anatomy of various individuals during campaign events.
Trump Endorses Ramaswamy’s Bizarre Tactics
With former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy consistently trailing behind his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, in most Ohio gubernatorial polls, his campaign resorted to an unusual and desperate move on the 19th.
Ohio blogger D.J. Byrnes shared a video on X featuring Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her daughter of lying about her childhood, including claims of living in a tent. Byrnes’ post garnered nearly 2 million views.
The video omitted crucial information: court records show Arthur’s husband, Cledith Arthur, was charged with rape in July 1978 after Acton’s father reported abuses that led to his indictment. Following this, the couple left town never to return, leaving behind warrants issued in 1978 and 1981. A police report from 1982 and earlier arrest records substantiate Acton’s claims about her upbringing.
What stood out was the ad’s questionable origins, initially lacking a disclaimer regarding its funding, as pointed out by CNN:
The video circulated without the standard political ad disclaimer, and it didn’t appear as a paid advertisement in AdImpact, a political ad-tracking service. Initially, the Ramaswamy campaign did not confirm its involvement but suggested voters ponder the message relayed by Acton’s mother, reiterating claims regarding Acton’s honesty.
…A representative of V-PAC, the primary super PAC supporting Ramaswamy, stated that they did not produce the video. Meanwhile, Ramaswamy claimed responsibility for the ad, stating that he believes voters should consider the opinions of those who know Acton closely. He also emphasized that Arthur was “not compensated” for her appearance in the video.
…Despite the controversy, Ramaswamy’s campaign chose to embrace the fallout, pledging $4 million for ad placements.
…The video initially gained attention via Byrnes, who described it as “loathsome,” after obtaining it from a voter who recorded it during a poll. In response, Acton’s campaign denounced the ad and linked its release to Ramaswamy.
The NY Times reported that the campaign had not made a decision to release the ad when Byrnes publicized it:
The Ramaswamy campaign was still evaluating the ad’s effectiveness when it unexpectedly emerged online, with Byrnes labeling it “loathsome.”
…The ad attempted to divert the campaign’s focus from Trump’s economic challenges to confronting Dr. Acton’s integrity. However, in doing so, it highlighted Ramaswamy’s own ethical standing and reminded voters of Acton’s difficult childhood.
Numerous Ohio GOP members (and some national figures) distanced themselves from Ramaswamy and the controversial ad; however, Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, a close ally of Ramaswamy, supported the ad, further entangling Ramaswamy in the controversy.
Donald Trump Jr. even re-tweeted the ad.
Paradoxically, the backing of Trump and Vance undermined Ramaswamy’s chance to dissociate from the ad.
Ohio is not the only battlefield where Trump’s GOP is engaging in dubious attacks against Democratic candidates.
Trump’s GOP Engages in Islamophobia in Michigan
Trump has directed his ire at Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed based on his faith. On October 7, he claimed that El-Sayed “goes back to the days of the Jihad” and is linked to terrorism, calling him a “Terrorist Sympathizer.” On the 10th, he further belittled El-Sayed by referring to him as “Mohammed.”
He asserted that “He’s a Muslim Brotherhood guy, 100%,” and proclaimed that El-Sayed “wants our Country to go to Sharia Law. If it ever does, he should be the first that’s tried!”
In alignment with Trump’s stance, Republican nominee Mike Rogers and the NRSC invested heavily in advertisements endorsing Trump’s Islamophobic claims, including a seven-figure ad accusing El-Sayed of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda.
Additionally, the Senate Leadership Fund aired an ad featuring a quote El-Sayed made at 24 about a “Sharia-compliant” mortgage, presented alongside an image of a woman in a niqab.
Focus on Transgender Issues in Texas
In Texas, GOP candidates have chosen a different angle for their attacks, honing in on transgender issues instead. Of the staggering $359 million spent on political advertisements since June, $119 million has targeted transgender minors and LGBTQ+ rights, marking it as the dominant focus by a significant margin.
In their initial campaign ad, Texas PAC, which received $158 million from Elon Musk through the Senate Leadership Fund, labeled Democratic nominee James Talarico as overly progressive, stating he was for “they/them, not you.” A subsequent ad claims he endorses charging parents with child abuse if they do not support transitioning their children.
In a separate campaign, GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton employed an AI-generated Talarico in an ad presenting an exaggerated sermon that begins with “In the beginning, God was nonbinary.” Trump derisively referred to Talarico as “James TalaFREAKO,” while JD Vance mocked him as a “freak,” implying potential sexual orientation.
Despite their formidable financial efforts, polls indicate Paxton consistently trails Talarico.
Let’s shift our focus to Maine and see the GOP’s current tactics there.
Maine GOP Plays the Incest Card
In Maine, Republican groups have poured around $47 million into attacking Troy Jackson, while Democratic groups have only spent an estimated $31 million targeting Susan Collins.
One ad from the Senate Leadership Fund features a country song, slandering Jackson as “weird,” a “freak,” and a “creep” because “he has two kids with his cousin,” then suggesting, “If he’ll screw his own family, he’ll screw yours too.”
While I’ll give them credit for attempting humor, I struggle to understand how this might convince anyone to vote for Susan Collins.
Collins’s campaign demanded that the ad be removed, although she herself previously acknowledged the relationship during a Politico interview on September 2nd, stating, “I’m not going to bring up the fact that the mother of his two children is his second cousin.”
Further ads accuse Jackson of “keeping it in the family” and portray him as a “Crook and a Creep.” Another claims an Allagash cell tower he promoted was constructed on his family’s land.
Yet, these tactics seem ineffectual, as Collins trails Jackson in most polls.
And strangely enough, we have even more peculiar events unfolding.
Trump Praises Rising Gas Prices
In an unexpected turn, Trump openly praised soaring gas prices during a recent rally in Georgia, claiming that the conflict in Iran has led to significant profit for American oil and gas companies, stating, “we’re making a freaking fortune.”
Over the Weekend, Trump reiterated that “My people said, ‘Please don’t mention that sir, because people are paying a little higher.’ But I said I don’t give a damn. Our country is getting stronger and stronger all the time. And those pump prices are going to come down.”
CBS reports that this highlights the intertwining of Trump’s personal interests with his political statements.
The president’s investments in oil and gas range between $22.5 million and $81.6 million, an increase from the previous year’s range of $12.6 million to $46 million. His stock holdings have appreciated by approximately 43% since 2025, following significant purchases between March and August of this year, where he acquired between $4.7 million and $17.5 million in oil and gas stock.
Perhaps Trump’s peculiar remarks regarding his Senate candidates stem from his overwhelming enthusiasm in this area.
Trump Talks Anatomy on the Campaign Trail
Channeling his inner ZZ Top fan, Trump has found a penchant for discussing anatomy, particularly regarding multiple male and female individuals during his campaign stops.
This phenomenon is most evident in his comments about Ohio Senator Jon Husted, who is in a tight race against former Senator Sherrod Brown.
In shocking remarks, Trump stated:
Trump on Jon Husted: “I’m studying his body. I’ve never studied the body of a man before. It’s not my thing. Nothing wrong with it, of course. But it’s never been my thing. But I looked at his ass. I said, ‘His ass, shit, it’s like a pile of muscle.’”
In various locations around Ohio, Trump made similarly surprising observations about Husted’s physique and even praised Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “body of a 30-year-old.”
Despite Trump’s bold claims, the latest Marist poll shows Husted trailing Brown by 48% to 44%.
Panic Mode in Alaska
As election day nears, Trump appears to be taking a more aggressive stance to manipulate election outcomes in Alaska.
Politico reveals that Trump is intensifying efforts to gain control over the election process as midterms approach, with the Justice Department escalating its attempts to access voter files across nearly every state.
Despite numerous obstacles, on Thursday, just 12 days before Election Day, the DOJ sought to block the results in Alaska if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan were to lose, leaving election officials from both parties astounded.
As we await the midterm election results, we can only speculate on the bizarre developments that may unfold.
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