Republicans grapple with how much to have Trump on the campaign trail for the midterms

2026 ElectionRepublicans grapple with how much to have Trump on the campaign trail for the midtermsTrump’s approval rating is sinking amid high prices and the war with Iran, but he’s still the best at turning out the base voters Republicans need for the midterms. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Trump won't be on the ballot in November, but he'll still be a major factor in the fortunes of the Republican Party. Aaron Schwartz / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 14, 2026, 10:14 AM EDTBy Peter Nicholas, Melanie Zanona, Matt Dixon and Jonathan AllenWASHINGTON — He is the biggest draw in American politics, a sitting president who created a movement that has been steadfastly loyal to him for more than a decade.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.He may also be the most polarizing figure in American politics, now presiding over rising inflation and a Middle East war with no clear end in sight.Donald Trump’s capacity to both attract and repel American voters creates a dilemma that Republicans are grappling with ahead of the midterm elections in November: Should he campaign aggressively to hold the party’s slim congressional majority, or hang back lest his presence on the trail boomerang on the people he’s trying to elect?There’s no easy answer, interviews with 19 current and former Republican lawmakers and political operatives suggest. Midterm elections are often referendums on the president. That being the reality, it makes no sense to try to hide Trump away until the votes are cast, some Republicans argue.“They need him badly,” former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a reference to congressional Republicans. “They need his money. They need him to drive turnout.”“This is about getting our base out; that’s what huge,” said Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of the Iowa Republican Party. “And there is no one better” than Trump at galvanizing Republican vote...