Veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove has pushed back against predictions of a Democratic “blue wave” in the midterm elections, using a white board on Fox News to argue that recent polling does not show a significant shift in voter sentiment.
He pointed to a Marquette Law School poll showing 49 percent of likely voters backing Democratic congressional candidates and 48 percent Republican, compared with a 53-43 split in April. The poll attributed the change to rising Republican enthusiasm, with 59 percent now certain to vote versus 56 percent in April, while Democratic certainty dropped from 67 percent to 58 percent.
Rove said the movement was within the margin of error, and if anything, it slightly advantaged Republicans. He added that recent redistricting had “mildly advantaged” his party, and suggested Democrats would need a lead of at least five or six points to secure a significant House majority. He also noted that both the president and the Democratic Party remain unpopular, with the president’s unfavorability at 40 percent and the party’s at below 37 percent.
The analysis comes as some Republican strategists and lawmakers warn that issues such as the ongoing war with Iran, high gas prices and low approval ratings could hurt the party’s chances of retaining its narrow majorities in both chambers. President Trump responded by calling for Rove to be removed from Fox News, describing him on Truth Social as a “RINO” and a “loser” who had been wrong for years.
