Brit Hume: Republican ‘washout’ possible in midterms

Fox News’s Brit Hume on Wednesday said Republicans may face rough results in the upcoming midterms.

“Republicans have to worry that something like that may happen to them in this race, where not only do they lose the close ones, but they lose a lot that weren’t even thought to be close, and you’ve got a big washout,” Hume said when asked by Fox News’s Bret Baier on “Special Report” about the upcoming election, while discussing prior elections in which Republicans saw widespread success.

“I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but I think it could happen,” he added.

Republicans are facing an uphill battle this election cycle, facing issues like the unpopular war in Iran, President Trump’s slumping approval ratings and concerns about the cost of living. Democrats have also been leading their GOP opponents in recent polls.

According to a polling average from Decision Desk HQ, Trump’s approval rating was sitting at 38.7 percent on Thursday afternoon, while his disapproval rating was 59.4 percent .

Energy costs have also risen as a result of the Iran war, during which the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the oil industry, has been closed. According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. was about $4.33, up from about $3.07 last year .

On Wednesday, Republican political operative Rick Tyler said the GOP was facing “a lot of problems” going into the midterms.

In an appearance on “CNN News Central,” Tyler noted tight midterm races in Alaska, Michigan, Iowa and Ohio.

“It’s going to be a bad night for Republicans,” Tyler said, referring to Election Day. “It just is. How bad? We don’t know.”