The latest New York Times/Siena University poll has devastating news for the GOP ahead of this year’s midterm elections.

In addition to a record-low approval rating of 37 percent for President Donald Trump, the generic congressional ballot had Democrats up by 10 percentage points, which jumped to a staggering 14 points among voters most likely to cast ballots.

Republicans can’t quit Trump. He won’t let them, even if they wanted to—and most don’t want to anyway. Trump has remade the GOP in his image, and they’re fine with it, no matter what the polls say.

But Republicans aren’t resigned to November losses. They have a dastardly new plan ready to go, one they think will dramatically reshape the political playing field this summer.

“A couple more states redistricting in a way that’s helpful for us, move into the summer with America 250, and a midterm convention at some point,” a “very senior Republican strategist” (Stephen Miller?) told NOTUS. “I think we’ve got some good touch points to kind of keep that momentum rolling.”

[Record scratch.]

Wait, the plan is what?

“We will make sure that people are aware of the fact that we are the party of patriotism and love of country, and the Democrats are just—I mean, there’s polling to support me on this,” a “second Republican strategist” (Dan Scavino?) said. “They are not proud to be Americans. It’s very obvious, and they can’t help themselves.”

Ah, yes. People can’t afford groceries or gas, but “patriotism and love of country” will definitely drive waves of Republicans and independents to the polls to punish Democrats for not, uh, celebrating hard enough?

Top it off with a “midterm convention”—Trump’s seemingly forgotten pre-midterm rally—and sure, Democrats are quaking in their boots.

“Loving America harder” isn’t the closing argument Republicans think it is.

Markos Moulitsas is founder and editor of the blogging website Daily Kos and author of three books.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos