Some Republicans have asked us why we’re endorsing more Democrats for the U.S. House of Representatives this election cycle. The answer is partly the poor quality of the candidates, but also the poorer quality of Republican ideas in 2026.
In particular, not one GOP House candidate we interviewed opposed President Donald Trump’s disastrous war with Iran, which shows no sign of ending. While some hemmed and hawed over whether in an ideal world Congress maybe should’ve had a role to play, not one Republican candidate in Southern California of any note would vote to stop this foolish war.
We understand Republicans are inclined to stick with the president of their own party, who brought them victory just two years ago. But their primary loyalty ought to be to “We the People of the United States,” not any particular chief executive. The Constitution itself is clear in Article I, Section 8, “The Congress shall have Power … To declare War.”
Before Bush went to war with Iraq in March 2003, he at least got Congress to approve the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. Yes, it was abused and yes it was overly permissive, but at least Congress had to vote and take ownership over how that authority was used. Trump decided he could wage war because he felt like it, giving members of Congress a pass while running roughshod over the Constitution. What happened to the days when Republicans at least pretended to care about the Constitution and the rule of law?
Republicans also seem likely to pay the price for the high cost of energy. Farm country is the California GOP’s strongest base. The Farm Bureau reported Oct. 19, “In a new survey of California farmers, three out of every four farmers report increased financial strain resulting from high diesel prices.”
At an Oct. 24 rally for Georgia candidates, as usual Trump promised gas prices would “fall dramatically” after he ended the war, but added, “The United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars … because of what’s happening in the Middle East … trillions of dollars. But my people said, please don’t mention that, sir, because people are paying a little bit higher.”
All Democrats have to do in the campaign’s last week is play that clip and win even more seats.
Although we strongly disagree with Democrats on virtually all economic policy matters, they’re the ones at least talking sense on ending the war, saying no to tariffs, calling out the abuses of immigration enforcement, and calling out the blatant corruption of the Trump administration. By contrast, Republican members of Congress or aspiring ones have either defended, excused, ignored or rationalized things they never would’ve rationalized ten years ago.
It is remarkable seeing supposed “free traders” become “fair traders” overnight; supposed constitutionalists never mentioning it in the last two years; deficit hawks becoming excuse makers for $2 trillion deficits; proud capitalists dance around the president using the government to buy stakes in private companies. It’s a mania that may well pass, but time will tell.
However the midterms play out and however Republicans react from there, we remain optimistic about the American experiment.