Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.
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that → welcome → House
In today’s edition, we round up the latest examples of GOP candidates breaking with President Donald Trump.
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candidates → round → Trump
Plus, Natasha Korecki examines Republicans’ messaging strategy in Texas.
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Korecki → examine → Texas
GOP defections from Trump start to pile up
By Adam Wollner
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defections → start → Wollner
During his address to the United Nations General Assembly today, President Donald Trump reiterated that he thinks he will be able to strike a deal with Iran to end the war after the November midterms.
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he → reiterate → midterms
“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to,” Trump said.
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Trump → believe → sense
“They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm election.”Republicans who are on the ballot this fall
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who → wait → ballot
increasingly would like to see that happen much sooner.
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that → like → ?
Over the past 36 hours, three GOP candidates in competitive races have called for the Iran war to come to an end, tying it to the economic pressure voters are under.
Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for Senate in Iowa, called yesterday morning for an “immediate end” to the conflict, even though she has voted against several resolutions in the House that would have restricted Trump’s ability to wage the war.
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that → call → war
week, two of her fellow Iowa Republicans, Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, voted for the first time in favor of an Iran war powers resolution ahead of their re-election contests in battleground districts.
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two → vote → districts
Several hours later yesterday, former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee in Michigan’s Senate race, released a video on social media saying that “the war with Iran needs to end and end quickly.”
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war → release → Iran
And today, another Michigan Republican, gubernatorial candidate John James, said during a news conference that “we need to end this war quickly,” according to The Detroit News.
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we → say → News
Like Hinson, James, a congressman, has repeatedly voted against the resolutions in the House directing Trump to halt the war.
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James → vote → war
These pivots come amid deepening voter frustration with the war and the state of the economy.
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pivots → come → economy
According to the new national NBC News poll, 55% of registered voters said they believe Trump’s policies have hurt the economy, and 62% said the military action in Iran has not been worth it.
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action → accord → Iran
Moreover, 57% of voters said supporting the Iran war would make them less likely to vote for a candidate, compared with 24% who said it would make them more likely.
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them → say → %
As the midterms near, Republicans are breaking with Trump on more than just the Iran war.
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Republicans → near → war
As we noted last week, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., released an ad criticizing the president’s deportation agenda.
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Salazar → note → agenda
Elsewhere in Florida, Republican candidate for governor Byron Donalds removed most references to Trump on his campaign website.
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Donalds → remove → website
And Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, called for an investigation into the business dealings of Donald Trump Jr. (as well as Hunter Biden) following the revelation that a Russian oligarch paid for the president’s son’s post-wedding festivities in the Caribbean.
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oligarch → call → Caribbean
Trump’s focus on the press distracts Republicans from pocketbook issues ahead of Election Day, by Peter Nicholas, Yamiche Alcindor, Garrett Haake and Julie Tsirkin
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Republicans search for a messaging balance in Texas
Analysis by Natasha Korecki
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In interviews, focus groups and polls, there’s little doubt voters’ minds are squarely on the economy these days.
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minds → ’ → economy
It’s no different in Texas, where a pivotal Senate race between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico could help determine the balance of power in Congress.
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race → ’ → Congress
But GOP ads in the state have so far focused in large part on an anti-transgender message, an attempt to revitalize the party’s 2024 strategy.
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ads → focus → strategy
One said that spending on trans-related messaging was a waste of money.
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spending → say → money
“If it ain’t about the economy, don’t say it,” said the strategist, who was not authorized to comment publicly on the race.
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who → ai → race
A new NBC5 Dallas/Telemundo Station Group poll bears that out.
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Among likely Texas voters, 6% said abortion and trans rights ranked as their most important issue.
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abortion → say → issue
The economy dominated concerns: 47% said either the economy and jobs or inflation and the cost of living were the most influential factors in how they would vote in November, followed by immigration.
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they → dominate → immigration
Still, Texas Republicans are leaning on anti-trans messaging.
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Republicans → lean → messaging
The Paxton campaign put out a news release today headlined: “Highlighting James Talarico’s Favorite Drag Queen.”
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campaign → put → Queen
Digital ads from Elon Musk’s America PAC have focused on transgender issues.
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ads → focus → issues
And a super PAC tied to the Senate Leadership Fund launched an ad saying Talarico is “for they/them not you,” in which he is featured saying he is in the fight for transgender kids every day.
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he → tie → kids
So why highlight transgender issues when they’re not a top voter concern?
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Democrats would say it’s pure deflection as President Donald Trump’s approval rating sinks as an unpopular Iran war persists and grocery and gas prices soar.
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prices → say → ?
But recall that it was Talarico’s background as a seminarian and his unique ability to talk about God as a Democrat that pushed his national rise.
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that → recall → rise
Repeated GOP messaging calling him “woke,” “radical” and “weird” goes toward undermining that image.
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messaging → call → image
Our sources also tell us there is so much Republican money flooding in that they can afford to hit Talarico from all sides.
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they → tell → sides
For instance, the Lone Star Liberty PAC, which so far announced $15 million in spending, has ads that mention China and taxes.
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that → announce → China
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
