Trump turns midterms into referendum on himself

Published November 7, 2018 This content is archived.

An article in Time magazine about how President Trump inserted himself into the midterm elections like few presidents before him interviews Jacob Neiheisel, associate professor of political science, who said this was the first national referendum on Trump’s leadership since he won the presidency two years ago and, more than most presidents, Trump staked his reputation on the results and now bears some of the blame for losing the House, even if he’s unlikely to agree. “He will find a way to backpedal regardless of the outcome if it’s not in his favor,” Neiheisel said. “Given that people have very short memories, it’s going to be a blip in the press for a minute, and then it’s on to the next tweet.”