President Trump renewed his push Wednesday for Republican voters to approach the upcoming midterms as if his name were literally on the ballot, a message he has increasingly leaned on as the party faces headwinds in public polling.
In an interview with Fox News's Trey Gowdy, set to air in full this weekend on Sunday Night in America, Trump said, "I see it all the time, that when Trump's on the ballot, they win. When he's out of the ballot, the people don't go to vote, and I'm asking the people ... to get out and vote. Pretend I'm on the ballot."
The president's comments come with less than ten weeks until Election Day, and the GOP is intensifying efforts to mobilize its base. Trump previously deployed the same line at a rally for Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) last week. Graham, who narrowly defeated Rep. Ralph Norman in Tuesday's primary runoff despite Trump's endorsement, is now set to face a competitive general election.
At that rally, Trump told supporters, "What I want you to do is pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot," adding that Democrats would "impeach" him if they reclaimed a congressional majority.
The president will headline both days of the GOP's midterm convention in Dallas next month, part of a broader turnout push. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said at a campaign event in Texas on Thursday that Trump will "look right into the camera" and declare he is "on the ballot" at that gathering. "Because even though his name isn't ... his administration, his legacy, the America First agenda is," Johnson said. "We got to get people to turn out."
Fox News host Sean Hannity amplified the same talking point during his Wednesday show, telling viewers, "Let me explain this: He is on the ballot because if we don't get Republicans in the House and Senate, all progress in this country will come to a screeching halt." Hannity warned that a Democratic majority would make impeachment of Trump and other GOP officials a "top agenda item."
The messaging arrives amid a challenging political environment for Republicans. Recent public polling shows Trump with a net approval rating of negative 19.5 percentage points, according to Silver Bulletin's tracker. Meanwhile, Decision Desk HQ gives Democrats a 67 percent chance of flipping the House this year, while Republicans hold a 52 percent probability of keeping the Senate.
Trump's strategy of personalizing the midterms mirrors his approach in past cycles, but the stakes are elevated given the ongoing Iran conflict and persistent cost-of-living concerns. His allies argue that framing the election as a binary choice about his presidency will energize the base, even as independents appear to be drifting away.
The president's push comes as his administration faces scrutiny on multiple fronts, including a legal challenge over records handling and renewed diplomatic gambits with North Korea. Still, Trump remains the central figure in Republican politics, and his allies are betting that his presence—real or imagined—on the ballot can reverse the party's fortunes.
Hannity's commentary, which echoed Trump's own framing, was part of a broader media campaign to cast the midterms as a referendum on the president's agenda. The GOP convention in Dallas is expected to feature similar appeals, with speakers urging voters to treat the election as a direct verdict on Trump's first term.
