Trump did a lot of bizarre things from the stage at his all-about-me convention in Dallas. He led the crowd in a recitation of the pledge of allegiance—to himself. He rambled for two hours about transgender athletes and attempted to bribe voters with make-believe $5,000 checks. He stumbled over his words a lot, and looked and sounded very much like an unwell 80-year-old man.
But maybe the most significant thing he said was addressed directly at Republican candidates running in the midterms: “So what I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot. Just come and vote. It’s so important.” Trump made clear that he wants this election to be a referendum on his second term.
But you have to wonder why. The vast majority of Americans currently believe that this administration’s economic track record to date has been an unmitigated disaster. Trump’s overall approval rating stands in the 30s, and he is underwater on how people feel he’s handling the economy—historically a strong suit for the “businessman” president.
You would think that Congressional Republicans would know people are hurting out there. You would think that they would know how wildly out of touch it looks to follow Trump’s lead in publicly spiking the football about having “the greatest economy in history.”
You would be wrong.
In House races across some of the most highly contested districts this cycle, we’re hearing Republicans double and triple down on their support for Trump’s economic agenda.
For example, Bill Huizenga, running in Michigan’s 4th Congressional district, said of the tariffs, “Is it the right thing to do? Absolutely it is.” Max Miller, running in Ohio’s 7th, said, “The economy is actually doing very well right now.” And Zach Nunn, running in Iowa’s 3rd, said, “I think that tariffs are the best way to go after” other countries. That would be news to the people of Michigan, Ohio, and Iowa, who are currently dealing with crushing inflation, with no end in sight.
Yes, these are incredibly dumb things for Congressional Republicans to say out loud, just weeks away from an election. They’re also an opportunity for those of us who care about democracy. We here at Home of the Brave count ourselves proudly in this camp.
That’s why this week, we’re spending $1.25 million to put up more than 100 new billboards across three states—Michigan, Ohio, and Iowa—hammering this message relentlessly. The billboards say things like “Groceries cost more because of Trump” and “Trump’s tariffs raised prices. Republicans supported it.” You can see them here:
The core message we’re sending with this new campaign is: Trump and the Republican Party are responsible for increased prices. We are focusing on Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio because they are each key battleground states with multiple competitive races for the House, Senate, or governor. And we’re going to keep up the pressure through election day.
Sarah Matthews served as White House deputy press secretary and resigned in protest on January 6, 2021. She is an advisory board member and spokesperson for Home of the Brave, which exists to show Americans the real-world consequences of this administration’s policies, and to highlight what bravery looks like in defense of American democracy.
It is unbelievable, in some ways, how Trump and his MAGA crew have thoroughly trashed this country. WAKE UP, America.
Thank you for the photos of the billboards. Having contributed to groups saying they are doing billboards, it is great to see these. They can be seen by the drivers and passengers, which can spur conversations. They may also be seen repeatedly if on a commuting route. Great coverage, thanks.