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How Republicans Are Choosing to Lose Again

After the worst midterm loss in 50 years, Trump and the GOP are doubling down on everything that got them there

Dan Pfeiffer

Nov 12

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Any election loss—no matter how close—is an opportunity for reflection: to look inward, figure out why you lost, and learn how to prevent it from happening again.

This is particularly true after the biggest midterm loss in 50 years. Republicans lost the popular vote by nearly 14 points. Democrats are on the cusp of 56 Senate seats and nearly 260 House seats. Heck, Republicans lost in solidly Red states like Kansas, South Carolina, Texas, and Mississippi. Not a single Republican represents a district that Trump won by less than 9 points in 2024.

It was an ass-kicking for the ages. So if there was ever a time for Republicans to engage in some introspection and change their approach, it would be now.

But that’s not what’s happening at all.

Based on almost everything they have said and done since the election, Trump and the GOP seem wholly committed to learning nothing and instead doubling down on the exact strategy that led to their losses.

Trump’s first move after the election was to fire Susie Wiles and replace her with Stephen Miller. I have never agreed with the DC press corps’ general consensus that Wiles is some sort of political and organizational mastermind. All the available evidence shows she did a pretty shitty job. Maybe that’s mostly Trump’s fault. Either way, the problem isn’t firing Wiles; it’s hiring Miller, who is responsible for most of Trump’s least popular and least successful moves.

The House Republicans followed by picking Jim Jordan, the pugilistic MAGA warrior, to be the minority leader.

Both of these moves and Trump’s statements since the election show that the Republicans are not satisfied with just one giant loss; they seem committed to losing another one in 2028.

1. Still Denying Reality

Typically, when presidents get crushed in the midterms, they make adjustments. Bill Clinton declared that the “era of big government is over.” George W. Bush tried to pivot his Iraq War strategy. Barack Obama pivoted towards a more economically populist message.

Trump is doing none of the above...

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Thursday, November 12, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1928, the S.S. Vestris sank about 200 miles off Hampton Roads, killing at least 111 of the 326 people aboard. Barbados sailor Lionel Licorish, 23, freed a lifeboat, kept it afloat for 14 hours in storms and shark-infested waters, and rescued 16-20 people, becoming an instant celebrity.

A retired Virginia teacher made it onto the Today show. Find out why in Et Cetera, then take our Poll to let us know if you remember your kindergarten teacher’s name.

Every family hands down the same urban myths, the rules parents swore by and nobody ever questioned. Wait 30 minutes after eating before you swim. Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis. Turn the car off at the gas pump, or else... Now researchers have put the seven most famous rules to the test and found clear verdicts for all of them. So which rules did Grandma get right, and will your car really blow up at the pump? Ayla has the full story on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

Later today, you'll receive a special email from Fisher Investments featuring The 15-Minute Retirement Plan, a free guide designed to help you build or review your retirement strategy.

Today’s sponsor, Dr. Steven Gundry, shares his perspective on why some “healthy” foods may leave you bloated or tired and introduces a 60-second morning routine to explore.

Spanberger, Democrats Pitch 2027 Agenda

Gov. Abigail Spanberger and Virginia Democrats unveiled their 2027 legislative agenda Tuesday, built around medical debt relief, classroom screen-time limits, and tighter oversight of data centers.

The “Moving Virginia Forward” plan, announced at the Capitol in Richmond, leans on affordability. The data-center proposals would end by-right approval for facilities drawing more than 25 megawatts, ban nondisclosure agreements between developers and local officials, and regulate cooling-water use. A separate measure targets AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, dismissed the pitch. “There was nothing that will bring down power bills, nothing that will end the car tax, nothing that will end the grocery tax, nothing that will help young people get started in life,” he said, promising Republican tax-cut bills instead.

Democrats hold a 64-36 House majority. The full General Assembly convenes Jan. 13.

Virginia Beach Weighs 27 Safety Steps

A Virginia Beach task force handed the City Council 27 recommendations Tuesday to curb violence and reshape the Oceanfront after three violent incidents this past spring.

The headline idea is a violence interruption program that would deploy trained civilians, not police, to defuse confrontations among the young crowds that pack the resort strip each spring.

Other proposals: brighter street lighting, cleaned-up storefronts, more entertainment, expanded mental health crisis teams, and a possible pedestrian-friendly stretch of Atlantic Avenue on weekend nights.

Councilman Michael Berlucchi pressed the need to move fast. “We cannot afford not to try the violence interruption program,” he said.

City Manager Patrick Duhaney said the program could be piloted at the Oceanfront next spring, and city staff expects to update the council in December or January.

Kennedys Move to Block Arlington Arch

Nine members of the Kennedy family asked a federal judge Tuesday to block President Trump’s planned 250-foot memorial arch near Arlington National Cemetery.

The relatives, children, and grandchildren of Robert F. and Edward M. Kennedy say a forensic study shows the structure would permanently shadow the family’s graves near John F. Kennedy’s eternal flame.

They filed to join two existing lawsuits, days after U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan barred the administration from breaking ground for 14 days.

A federal planning commission approved the arch 8-4 last week. Trump appointees, who hold the panel’s majority, call it a tribute to veterans and a future tourist draw.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle called the challenge unfortunate, saying, “The judiciary should not be abused to politicize a structure designed to unite our nation.”

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➤ Statewide: Data centers collected about 60% of the more than $7 billion Virginia spent on economic-development incentives over the past decade, almost entirely through a sales-tax break on computer equipment, a new Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission review found. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: Virginia’s Health Department is seeking funding for 14 more inspectors as it works through a backlog of more than 2,000 overdue inspections of home care organizations. (More)

➤ Montgomery County: The board of supervisors approved a 349-unit housing development on Elliston’s historic Fotheringay property Tuesday, a project expected to roughly double the rural village’s population of 855 with 225 single-family homes and 124 townhomes. (More)

➤ Prince William County: A jury convicted Naresh Bhatt, 39, of first-degree murder, concealing a body, and defiling a body in the death of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt. Sentencing is set for March 12. (More)

➤ Roanoke County: A judge denied bond Tuesday for Xiuying Li, 53, of Texas, charged with maintaining a bawdy place at Summer Body Work on Williamson Road in Roanoke, one of eight massage businesses in a county investigation. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: The school board voted Tuesday to recommend that $3 million in leftover budget funds go toward school needs like bus replacements, HVAC systems, and adaptive playground equipment instead of a city-requested cross country trail. City Council has the final say. (More)

Like The Virginia Flyover? Share it with a friend! ✈️

➤ The Washington Commanders (2-5-1) visit the division-leading New York Giants (5-2-1) tonight with an 8:15 p.m. kickoff at MetLife Stadium. The Giants are narrow home favorites in a rematch of the teams’ Week 5 overtime tie. (More)

➤ University of Richmond forward Jack McCaffery will take indefinite medical leave after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. A transfer from Butler, McCaffery is the son of Penn coach Fran McCaffery and is being treated in Philadelphia. (More)

➤ Norfolk State men’s basketball (2-1) hosted Old Dominion (3-0) last night at Echols Hall in their crosstown rivalry. ODU entered leading the all-time series 16-6. (More and See Who Won)

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➤ A circuit judge ruled Tuesday that resident Robert Dallas’ lawsuit accusing Botetourt County supervisors of violating Virginia’s open-meetings law when they approved a Google data center can proceed. Dallas wants the economic development deal with Google-owned Helio Capital voided. (See Details)

➤ The Richmond City Council on Monday approved Macfarlane Partners’ plans for a 33-unit townhome development on the former Seventh Street Christian Church site, scaled down from an earlier 72-unit proposal after neighborhood input. (More)

➤ Chesterfield County filings and sources point to Trader Joe’s opening its first Chesterfield store at the Springline at District 60 development, with a 12,500-square-foot building slated for summer 2027. Trader Joe’s hasn't confirmed the plan. (More)

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Whistleblowing Doctor Links Common Health Issues to Widespread “Grocery Scam”

One of America’s top doctors is hoping you’ll read this before you set foot in another grocery store.

Renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Steven Gundry has found an “invisible problem” affecting almost everything we eat. But almost nobody knows it’s happening, except the big food companies responsible for it.

And Dr. Gundry’s research shows it could be the true cause of low energy, digestive issues, and unwanted weight gain in millions of Americans over 35.

Click here to see Dr. Gundry's report.

➤ Dinwiddie County 9-year-old Ledger Mann, who is on the autism spectrum, was named TIME’s Kid of the Year for 2026 for designing clear bags containing calming sensory items for children with autism to use during encounters with first responders. The kits have reached six states. (Watch Report)

➤ Virginia ranked 11th nationwide in 2025 median household income at $99,322, according to Census Bureau data. Washington, D.C., led at $109,505. (See Map)

➤ Retired Chesterfield County kindergarten teacher Trisha Johnson, who set out a year ago to hand-deliver childhood mementos to her former students, landed on NBC’s Today show on Nov. 4, where two of her 400 former students surprised her. (See Video)

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➤ Dry Eyes? Here are 5 reasons drops aren’t working. Are you wasting your money on eye drops? Here are 5 reasons drops won’t work for dry eyes and why you should be doing THIS instead. PS - If you really care about your eye health…⇒ Read this short article before you spend another penny on eye drops… (You are probably being misled).

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes.

➤ Those old family rules about swimming, sugar, and knuckle cracking are finally getting scientific verdicts. (See List)

➤ In his only interview before a new memoir, former President Joe Biden is downplaying the debate that ended his 2024 campaign. (Listen Now)

➤ Migraines hold a hidden connection to women’s health, and a leading neurologist is breaking down why women suffer from them more than men. (Hear Details)

Do you remember your kindergarten teacher’s name?

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you been to the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford?

No: 47%
Yes: 35%
Not yet: 18%

Which Kennedy family members lived in McLean, Virginia?

Show me the answer

If you’re a fan of our Trivia section, you’ll love our new book, The Flyover Book of Trivia 2027, an illustrated collection of 100 of our favorite questions and answers. (Buy It Now)