Republicans ‘worried Trump’s handling of coronavirus and resulting economic tsunami’ will gift Senate to Democrats
WORRIED Republicans fear losing control of the Senate on the back of the shuttered economy, and Donald Trump's "chaotic" coronavirus pandemic response.
Their nervousness comes as polls show the president's ratings are becoming increasingly shaky.
One Republican strategist told The Washington Post: "It is a bleak picture right now all across the map, to be honest with you.
"This whole conversation [within the party] is a referendum on Trump, and that is a bad place for Republicans to be.
"But, it's also not a forever place."
A second Republican admitted the political environment "is not as favorable as it was a few months ago".
The Post says that GOP senators are in a "difficult political dance" as polling shows a move towards Democrats.
Strategists indicated that GOP incumbents should be able to retain states the president claimed in 2016 - if he maintains his power over the likes of Arizona, Iowa and North Carolina.
But, Colorado and Maine - which Trump lost in the previous election - could now be even further out of reach, the Post predicts.
Reuters reported in April that the six states where Republican senators are widely seen as vulnerable in November's elections are Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina and Montana.
Politico reported that months ahead of the election, the Democrats are making their opponents "sweat".
But, the website adds, the Republicans - currently clutching a 53-to-47 advantage in the Senate - "are still more likely than not to maintain control".
DEFIANT
While Trump saw some of the best approval ratings of his presidency during the early weeks of the coronavirus crisis, his reelection campaign has been hindered by a flailing US economy and an upsurge of criticizm.
Surveys by the Republican National Committee and Trump’s campaign also revealed he was trailing the former Democratic vice president in many key battleground states.
Trump was reportedly told he would have lost the Electoral College if the election had been held earlier this month.
“I am not f**king losing to Joe Biden,” he repeated in a series of heated conference calls with his top campaign officials, according to five people with knowledge of the conversations who spoke on condition of anonymity.
'CHAOTIC'
Trump has also unleashed fury on Barack Obama after a leaked call captured the ex-president slamming his successor's coronavirus response.
In the recording of Obama's half hour web call with the Obama Alumni Association he asserted that Trump's response to the Covid-19 crisis had been an “absolute chaotic disaster”.
For example, the president has suggested injecting patients with ‘disinfectant’ and blasting them with UV light to treat the killer bug, which has so far claimed nearly 81,000 lives in the US.
But, hitting back at the condemnation, Trump tweeted: “We are getting great marks for the handling of the CoronaVirus pandemic, especially the very early BAN of people from China, the infectious source, entering the USA.
“Compare that to the Obama/Sleepy Joe disaster known as H1N1 Swine Flu.
"Poor marks, bad polls - didn't have a clue!”
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Trump’s political team has warned that the president’s path to reelection depends on how quickly he can bring about an economic recovery.
He rose in approval ratings during February and March but took a significant hit in April, data from Statista reveals.
USA Today shows a large ten-point lead, while a FOX News poll from the beginning of the month shows the two candidates tied at 42 per cent.
Trump continues to hold steady support from blue-collar white voters which will be critical to his re-election bid.
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