GOP Candidates Soften Trump Ties Before Midterms — SkimNews
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- Republican congressional candidates in at least a half-dozen races have quietly begun downplaying their Trump connections after winning primaries where his endorsement was the most coveted prize — though NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella called the trend a "manufactured storyline."
- Carlos De La Cruz, a Texas congressional candidate, swapped his website headline from "TRUMP CONSERVATIVE" to "PROVEN CONSERVATIVE," while his campaign insisted the president remains "featured prominently across our website."
- Ralph Alvarado, running for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District, removed all Trump references and their joint photo from his homepage and now promises "INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP" after previously branding himself an "AMERICA FIRST FIGHTER."
- Eric Flores, a South Texas candidate, replaced "SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S AGENDA" as his No. 2 priority with "LOWER THE COST OF LIVING," and Trump's name no longer appears on his homepage.
- Rep. Tom Barrett in Michigan has promoted his votes for the War Powers Resolution against Trump's Iran war on the campaign trail, openly breaking with the president on his unpopular conflict.
- Trump's 33% job-approval rating in AP-NORC polling from July — with poor marks on economy, immigration, and foreign policy — forms the backdrop; Trump himself recently asked South Carolina supporters to "pretend" he was on the ballot.
Why it matters: Vulnerable House Republicans face a delicate math problem: expanding beyond Trump's MAGA base to win swing districts without triggering a backlash from him or his loyalists. At least a half-dozen candidates are hedging with subtle website edits, while the NRCC's loud denial signals the party wants to project unity heading into a two-day Republican convention in Dallas. With Trump underwater on the economy and an Iran war dragging on, each individual edit reflects the broader tension about whether his brand helps or hurts down-ballot Republicans this fall.
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