Here are the problems Trump needs to tackle.
Republicans are ramping up their 2026 midterm campaign as President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance work to protect the GOP’s majorities in Congress.
With control of the House and Senate at stake, Republican candidates and Trump-aligned political organizations are spending heavily, increasing campaign appearances and focusing their closing arguments on the economy, immigration, energy and other major voter concerns.
Recent polling shows that President Trump himself remains a major factor in how Americans are approaching the November elections. CBS News’ September Battleground Tracker found that voters in both parties are viewing the midterms partly through the lens of the president and his administration.
At the same time, Republicans are navigating several political and economic challenges, ranging from high fuel prices to disagreement over artificial intelligence data centers.
Here are seven issues receiving significant attention as the midterm campaign enters its final stretch.
1. JD Vance Is Asking Voters for More Time
Vice President JD Vance has become one of the administration’s most visible campaign surrogates as Republicans work to motivate voters ahead of November.
Vance has promoted the administration’s record on immigration, taxes, jobs and other issues while arguing that Republicans need additional time in Washington to continue implementing Trump’s agenda.
His increasing involvement also reflects the broader Republican effort to make the election about what the administration says it can accomplish during Trump’s remaining two years in office.
At a September 18 campaign rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Vance defended the administration’s record and campaigned alongside Republican candidates facing competitive races.
For Republican voters, the argument is centered on continuing Trump’s policies. For voters dissatisfied with conditions in the country, the administration faces the challenge of convincing them that additional time will produce better results.
2. Trump Is at the Center of the Midterm Campaign
Unlike congressional elections that focus primarily on local candidates, the 2026 midterms are increasingly being shaped by opinions of President Trump.
A CBS News/YouGov survey conducted September 8-11 found that Trump is playing an unusually large role in voters’ thinking about their congressional choices.
The nationally representative survey included 2,460 U.S. adults. CBS News reported that Trump was motivating voters on both sides of the political divide.
That creates a complicated strategic decision for Republican candidates.
Candidates in strongly Republican areas may benefit from emphasizing their support for Trump’s agenda. Those running in more closely divided districts may put greater emphasis on local issues or areas where their positions differ from the White House.
CBS News reported earlier in September that some Republican candidates in competitive contests skipped the Trump-backed Republican midterm convention in Dallas and remained in their home states or districts instead.
3. Trump and Vance Are Campaigning in States Republicans Have Recently Won
The president and vice president are also spending time in states that Republicans carried in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump recently visited North Carolina to support Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley, while Vice President JD Vance campaigned at a GOP rally in Iowa.
Trump won both North Carolina and Iowa in 2024.
Vance’s Iowa appearance drew particular attention because several races in the state have become closely watched contests during the 2026 campaign. He used the rally to promote Republican candidates and defend the administration’s policies on the economy, agriculture and other issues.
The appearances do not necessarily indicate how those races will ultimately turn out. They do show that national Republican leaders are investing presidential-level attention in states that have recently supported GOP candidates.
4. Trump-Aligned Groups Are Spending More Than $130 Million
Money is pouring into competitive congressional races.
Trump-aligned political organizations have committed more than $130 million to advertising during the midterm campaign, according to AdImpact figures reported by The Associated Press.
No Going Back accounted for approximately $98.5 million in spending commitments, while the Safety and Affordability PAC and MAGA Inc. have also made major advertising investments.
Much of that money is being directed toward closely contested House and Senate races.
Large political advertising campaigns are common before national elections, but the scale of these expenditures highlights the importance Republicans are placing on protecting congressional seats.
The spending also gives Republican candidates additional resources to promote their records, criticize Democratic opponents and encourage supporters to vote.
5. High Gas Prices Are Complicating the Economic Debate
Pocketbook issues remain central to the 2026 midterm elections, and gasoline prices are one of the most visible costs Americans encounter.
Fuel prices have risen sharply amid disruptions connected to the ongoing conflict involving Iran and major Middle Eastern energy routes.
The Associated Press reported September 20 that regular gasoline was averaging about $4.48 per gallon nationally as voters expressed concerns about the increased cost of transportation and everyday expenses.
Higher diesel prices can have an even broader effect because diesel fuel is widely used in trucking, agriculture and commercial transportation.
The political challenge for Republicans is straightforward: voters experience fuel prices directly every time they visit a gas station.
Trump has defended the administration’s actions toward Iran while arguing that energy prices will eventually decline. Critics of the administration, meanwhile, have linked the conflict to increasing household costs.
Those competing arguments are likely to remain part of the economic debate through Election Day.
6. AI Data Centers Are Creating Local Political Disputes
Artificial intelligence has become another unexpected issue in congressional campaigns.
Trump has strongly promoted the expansion of American AI infrastructure and data centers as part of his effort to keep the United States competitive with China and other countries.
Local opposition, however, has increased in some communities.
A University of Mass. poll published on September 14 found that 65 percent of respondents were against building an AI data center in their community, compared with 11 percent who were in favor.
Opposition crossed party lines.
Among Republicans surveyed, 52 percent opposed having a data center built in their community, compared with 18 percent who supported one.
Respondents cited concerns including electricity consumption, water use, utility costs, land development and neighborhood disruption.
Those concerns have created situations where Republican candidates may support Trump’s national goal of expanding artificial intelligence while disagreeing with specific data-center projects in their own states or districts.
7. Trump’s $5,000 Dividend Proposal Raises Major Questions
One of Trump’s most attention-grabbing midterm proposals is a promised $5,000 payment to American adults if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress.
Trump announced the proposal during the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on September 9.
He said the payment would be tied to America’s economic performance and that recipients would be required to spend the money inside the United States.
The proposal immediately generated questions about its cost and funding.
Providing $5,000 to roughly 240 million American adults would require approximately $1.2 trillion.
Congress would also have to authorize federal spending before any such payment could take place. Trump’s announcement did not include a complete legislative or funding plan.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey released September 14 also found significant public skepticism toward the proposed dividend, illustrating another challenge for Republicans deciding whether to make the proposal a centerpiece of their own campaigns.
What Republicans Are Facing Before Election Day
The final weeks of the 2026 midterm campaign are shaping up around several issues that voters encounter directly in their daily lives.
Gas prices and the broader cost of living remain prominent concerns. The conflict with Iran has added uncertainty to energy markets. Artificial intelligence data centers are generating local opposition in some communities. Trump’s $5,000 dividend proposal has attracted attention while also raising questions about cost and congressional approval.
Meanwhile, Trump-aligned organizations are spending more than $130 million on political advertising, and both Trump and Vance are taking increasingly visible roles in Republican campaigns.
Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, meaning the November election will determine whether that arrangement continues during the final two years of Trump’s term.
Whatever voters ultimately decide, these seven issues are likely to remain central to the political debate as Election Day approaches.
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