Republicans plan to use the threat of impeachment as a key midterm issue

Impeachment may be nothing that Donald Trump wants, but it is shaping up to be a galvanizing midterm election issue that preserves his party’s control of Congress, Republican strategists said.

WASHINGTON — Impeachment may be nothing that Donald Trump wants, but it is shaping up to be a galvanizing midterm election issue that preserves his party’s control of Congress, Republican strategists said.

Seldom do sitting presidents pick up seats in midterm congressional elections. Trump faces an especially daunting challenge in that he relies on a devoted electoral base that may feel no compelling reason to vote if his name isn’t on the ballot.

One way to persuade Trump supporters to turn out is to press the point that he could face impeachment a third time if Democrats wrest control of the House in November 2026, the GOP operatives said.

The message to Trump’s loyal following is a simple one: If you like Trump and want to protect him from an avenging Democratic majority, vote Republican.

Impeachment “will be the subtext of everything we do, whether it’s said overtly or not,” said a senior Republican strategist who is involved in congressional races and speaks to Trump. The strategist, like others in this article, was granted anonymity to speak candidly.