He’s not on the ballot, but Trump’s presidency is on the line Tuesday

By Susan Ferrechio - The Washington Times - Monday, November 2, 2026

FORT WORTH, Texas — The Trump era could effectively end Tuesday if Americans hand Democrats control of Congress.

Democrats in the House and Senate are already plotting how to rein in President Trump, and even impeach him a third time, if they take the majorities.

All that stands in their way is Republican turnout Tuesday, which the Republicans hope will be robust enough to blunt the supposed blue wave that so many analysts and some polls predict.

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In a closing campaign speech Monday on the National Mall that also served to promote the newly refurbished Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Mr. Trump said if “just a good portion” of voters who backed him in 2024 show up at the polls, “We will win in a landslide.”

Some early voting data hints at an advantage for Democrats.

In Texas, for instance, where control of the Senate could hinge on a toss-up race between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, a surge in early ballots was cast in areas with more Hispanic and Black voters, who tend to vote blue.

Democrat turned Republican Riz Khan, a Pakistani American who lives in Fort Worth, fears an influx of new residents from neighboring blue states could make it hard for Mr. Paxton to win and keep the state red.

He is not sure how the election will turn out for the Republicans.

“It’s going to depend on the final day,” he said. “And I’m telling you, it’s going to be tough.”

Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters dismissed gloom-and-doom predictions. Although Democrats typically have an advantage in early voting, he said, Republican voters show up in bigger numbers on Election Day.

Mr. Gruters said Mr. Trump held 29 rallies in battleground states in October.

“He believes he can turn out voters in a way that nobody else does,” Mr. Gruters told The Washington Times.

Democrats are also aggressively pushing their voters to show up, framing the election as the party’s chance to hold Mr. Trump accountable.

“I refer to Nov. 3 not simply as Election Day, but as judgment day,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat, said during a campaign rally in Virginia. “The American people are going to judge these MAGA extremists and run them out of town for what they’ve done to our economy, to our military, to our families, our farmers and to the American people all across the country.”

Democrats will be in a position to block all Republican legislation if they win just one chamber in Congress.

It would greatly reduce Mr. Trump’s ability to advance the Republican agenda outside executive actions. If Democrats seize control of the Senate, they would be able to stall and block judicial appointments, including a Supreme Court justice if a vacancy arises.

They also would gain control of committees and subpoena power, which would ensure Mr. Trump’s final two years are tied up in Democratic-led investigations.

Democrats must net four additional seats to win the majority in the Senate. In the House, the magic number is just three seats. Party control will come down to a half dozen Senate races, including Texas, and roughly a dozen House races that are considered very competitive or too close to call.

Polls in battleground races have slightly favored Democrats as Republicans battle voter discontent with high prices and the president.

Mr. Trump, perhaps hedging ahead of a tough day for Republicans, pointed out, as he often does, that the president’s party historically loses seats in midterm elections.

“But we gave this a very strong shot,” he said.

Although Mr. Trump spent Monday in Washington for his National Mall rally, Vice President J.D. Vance held rallies in Rome, New York, and Swanton, Ohio, where he urged Republicans to get out and vote for Republican candidates in battleground House, Senate and governor’s races. He asked crowds of supporters to take to the polls “every person you know, so long as they’re legally eligible and not Democrats who haven’t voted yet.”

Mr. Trump’s closing campaign message showcased the refurbished reflecting pool, part of his effort to restore the city’s run-down monuments.

The speech also touted the tax cuts, lower crime, border security, fraud reduction and other accomplishments of his second term.

He repeated his warning to voters that if Democrats win, those achievements could well be erased.

He also warned that Democrats have shifted to the far left, thanks to candidates who embrace socialism and deep opposition to Israel. “The Democrats want to blow all of this up by electing communists, jihadists to the United States Congress. We will not allow that to happen,” he said. “We have to keep our Congress strong and free.”