Republicans had been keeping their midterm fears at bay over the summer, convincing themselves that after Labor Day—when voters really tune in—polls would narrow, avoiding a total disaster for their party.

But with less than six weeks until Election Day, that hope is gone.

Democrats’ lead on the generic ballot has surged over the last two weeks, as President Donald Trump’s approval rating plummets to -22 percent —the lowest for any president at this point in their tenure since political polling began.

So in a desperate attempt to reverse their fortunes, Republicans are practically pleading with voters—reaching the bargaining stage of grief before a single ballot has even been counted.

Multiple GOP lawmakers, who for months have been voting to allow Trump to continue his war in Iran, are now calling for an end to the conflict that has cost more than $43 billion in taxpayer dollars, spiked gas prices, and ultimately threatens to take down the global economy.

Others are saying that they want to return to Washington to try to mitigate the disaster of their own making, vowing to suspend the gas tax and ban diesel exports—even though oil and gas experts say that would cause exponentially more harm than good.

“The House should return to DC immediately to work to pause diesel exports, suspend the gas tax, fully unleash E15 and biodiesel, and work on a diesel relief program for truckers and farmers,” Iowa’s GOP Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson wrote on X. “Americans need relief and I’ll work with anyone to deliver.”

Of course, Republicans will likely not be returning to Washington. But even if they do, they’ll be forced to vote on articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—which GOP leadership is trying to avoid at all costs.

But hey, they’re working hard for us!

Source: Gallup Screenshot from Daily Kos

Non-elected Republicans, fearing a wipeout, are also bargaining with their own party to do something to avoid the impending disaster.

“Yesterday, Iowa House Republicans were informed by their own pollsters that if you are in a +15 district you’re within the margin for error, if you’re in a +10 district you’re underwater, and that this might end being an even worse midterm environment than 2006,” right-wing radio host Steve Deace wrote on X.

He added, “I slept on whether to share this publicly, because I don’t want to cause anyone to black pill. But this morning I ultimately decided the truth should be shared while there is still six weeks left to do something about it for the good of the country.”

Deace went on to plead with Trump and GOP strategists to fix the problem, saying that they need to better articulate the reasons and goals for Trump’s boondoggle of a war in Iran.

“We need the president out on the stump asap. We need better and way more aggressive messaging. Stop running fake and gay ads about how often so-and-so shows up for votes, and instead mercilessly hammer Democrats on the wickedness they’re voting for,” he wrote.

Deace concluded, “Articulate specifically what the mission/victory is in Iran/Hormuz, because out here in the cheap seats it feels like another Middle East War quagmire regular folks are paying for on both ends all over again.”

Ah, yes, it’s the “fake and gay ads” that are the problem here, and everything can be solved by putting the guy with a 34% approval rating on the campaign trail. Good plan, Steve! Please, Republicans, listen to that guy!

Meanwhile, at least one Republican told a disaffected GOP voter to just stick with the party—an interaction that did not go well, to say the least.

“Bro we need your vote,” former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida wrote in response to Robbie Smither, a Florida Republican who wrote that he planned to vote Democratic this year for the first time in his life because of GOP sycophancy to Trump.

“I hate the war too. But the Democrats want to trans your kids,” Gaetz added.”

But it turns out that message didn’t sit well with Smither.

“With all due respect, stop pissing on people and telling them it’s raining,” he shot back. There is absolutely no logical evidence that [Democrats] want to ‘trans’ my two sons. None.”

Smither went on to say, “What we worry about is feeding him and his brother. Paying the mortgage and homeowners insurance on the house we’re raising them in.”

And therein lies the problem for Republicans, whose anti-trans messaging is falling flat because voters care more about the cost of living than the GOP’s dumb culture wars.

Ultimately, anything can happen in six weeks. But watching the GOP freak out is all you need to know about the state of play.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos