Republicans trade blame for historic midterm loss

The Republicans' devastating midterm losses prompted heated recriminations, as well as unofficial campaigning for the 2028 GOP presidential nomination.

President Donald Trump insisted he "wasn't on the ticket," after weeks of urging voters to "pretend I'm on the ballot." A defiant White House was quick to pin blame on the losing candidates , who in turn pointed fingers at the president's tariff policies and his unpopular war with Iran: Trump was " the engineer of the Republican collapse ," a GOP strategist told The New York Times.

Prominent Republicans like Florida's governor called for a reckoning , and early presidential frontrunner Vice President JD Vance earned plaudits for declaring that the Iran war was the " real reason " for Tuesday's losses.