Topline
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., encouraged Republicans to “run their own campaigns” and “be their own person” when asked about candidates distancing themselves from President Donald Trump on Wednesday amid his low polling numbers and negative views of the president’s handling of the economy.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., conducts a news conference after the Senate luncheons in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Key Facts
Thune, when asked about Republicans breaking with Trump and calling for an end to the Iran war, told reporters, “if I’m running in an environment like this, obviously you’re going to develop a campaign and a message that can win in your state.”
He said candidates “need to be their own person.”
Thune’s comments come as multiple Republicans have called for an end to the Iran war, including Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is competing in a tight Senate race in Iowa, Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running in a competitive Senate race in Michigan, and Sen. Jon Husted, who is running for reelection in Ohio.
Meanwhile, multiple other Republican candidates have removed prominent mentions of Trump from their campaign websites, including Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who is running for governor in Florida.
Donalds removed eight Trump references from his website, according to the Miami Herald, including a photo of himself and his wife Erika with Trump.
Tangent
Trump said Tuesday during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly that he doesn’t expect to reach an agreement with Iran to end the war until after midterms, because “they’re waiting to see how I do.”
What To Watch For
The Senate is expected to vote on a resolution to curb Trump’s powers to continue the war with Iran, after it passed the House last week. The effort is largely symbolic as Trump could veto the bill if it passes.
Big Number
26%. That’s the share of respondents in a CNN/SSRS poll released Wednesday who approve of Trump’s handling of the Iran war, down from 33% a month after the war started. Among Republicans, it declined from 73% in March to 60%.
Key Background
Trump’s approval rating hit a new all-time low in two polls released this week, including the CNN/SSRS survey that shows it’s three points below what it was at this point during his first term. Meanwhile, a string of recent polls show Democrats favored to win Congress and ahead in most of the key Senate races.
further reading
Trump’s Approval Rating: Americans’ Views Of The Economy Is 41 Points Below This Point In First Term (Forbes)
Hottest 2026 Midterm Races—Talarico Leads Paxton By 6 Points In Latest Poll (Updated Daily) (Forbes)
Byron Donalds Scrubs Trump References On Campaign Website—Latest Republican Distancing Themself (Forbes)
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