Senate Republicans shaken after getting bad news behind closed doors: report

Senate Republican leaders are delivering dire warnings about upcoming midterms, as President Donald Trump's approval ratings plummet amid an anti-incumbent wave.

National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott (R-SC) warned colleagues privately that Republicans are underperforming in the polls, and the president is losing support from all groups, reports Alexander Bolton for The Hill.

Senate Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-AR) presented polling data showing independents fleeing the GOP in "significant numbers" toward Democrats, leaving attendees "visibly shaken."

Former Republican pollster Whit Ayres explained, "We know that the party in power tends to lose House seats in a midterm election, but the number of seats lost is highly correlated with the president’s popularity."

"When presidential job approval is above 50 percent, the average loss of House seats for his party is 14. When it’s below 50 percent, the average loss of House seats for his party is 32,” he added.

A Fox News poll showed only 23 percent approve of Trump's gas price handling and 31 percent approve of his economic management.

"It may be a very big change election in that the Republicans are going to lose the House of Representatives and could lose the Senate as well," Democratic strategist Tad Devine told The Hill.

"And I think the Democrats will gain ground not just in those federal races but I think in governors' races, in legislative races."

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