Trump in trouble?: How could Graham's death, McConnell's sickness affect US Senate after midterms?

The approaching US midterm elections face significant uncertainty for the Republican Party following the reported death of Senator Lindsey Graham and the ongoing hospitalization of Senator Mitch McConnell.

With Republicans holding a slim 53-47 majority in the Senate, these developments raise questions about their ability to maintain control. Should Democrats win both seats, the Senate could be split 51-49, further complicating legislative efforts in an already deadlocked Congress.

The party is currently racing to pass key legislation, including the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act and the National Defense Authorization Act, before their August recess and before government funding expires in September. These efforts are crucial for demonstrating to voters that the GOP is addressing concerns about affordability.

However, internal divisions and low approval ratings, particularly for former President Trump, present significant hurdles. House Representative Don Bacon has criticized the strategy of paralyzing the House to pressure the Senate, calling it "a dumb strategy that weakens the House GOP." Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance has expressed concerns about potential impeachment proceedings against Trump if the GOP suffers further losses.

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It makes no sense to paralyze the House to pressure the Senate to pass the SAVE Act. We need to pass both, and now both [are] delayed. It’s just a dumb strategy that weakens the House GOP, and no one is more thrilled than [House Minority Leader Hakeem] Jeffries.