# Fix the Nominees, Keep the Border and Tax Wins, Win Back the Kitchen Table: A Plan for Republicans After the Midterm Rout

An opinion-flavored look at what the numbers suggest Republicans do now: better nominees, a plain answer on prices, and a serious push for young and Hispanic voters. The data comes from the AP Voter Poll and AP counts. The recommendations are ours.

- Section: [Opinion](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/opinion/)
- Published: 2026-11-04
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/what-republicans-should-do-next-after-midterms-candidate-quality-prices-young-voters-hispanic-voters/

This is our opinion. The facts come from the Associated Press, and the recommendations are ours.

1. Pick nominees who can win in November. The AP Voter Poll found about two-thirds of Texas voters said Ken Paxton lacked the character for the Senate and two-thirds of South Carolina voters said Darline Graham lacked the experience. Half of Georgia Senate voters called Mike Collins "too extreme." A slim majority in Kansas said the same of Sen. Roger Marshall's character. Primary winners who cannot clear the general election cost the party seats.

2. Talk about prices first. About six in ten voters told the AP higher prices are more because of Trump's policies. Whether or not that is fair, it is the perception. Republicans who cite the inflation drop, as Laura Ingraham does in her Fox column, should say what they will do about gas and groceries next. Ingraham herself concedes voters are frustrated over the Iran conflict and gas prices.

3. Compete for young and Hispanic voters again. The AP says voters under 30 went about seven in ten for Democratic House candidates and about a third of Hispanic voters backed Republicans, down from about four in ten for Trump in 2024. Several redrawn Texas border districts and Florida districts went Democratic. The poll figures are survey estimates, not vote counts.

4. Rethink the map games. The AP says the redistricting push appeared to backfire. Republicans redrew Florida's 14th, 22nd and 25th districts for their own benefit and lost all three. Drawing lines around voters does not replace persuading them.

5. Keep what worked. Republicans held governorships in Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and Nebraska. In Oklahoma, Idaho and South Dakota, the margins stayed wide. The party's wins show the message still sells where the candidate fits the state.

6. Use the minority well. If Thune leads a Senate minority, Republicans will have the filibuster as a tool. They will also be asked why a party that held both chambers did not pass its priorities, which Fox's sources raised.

The warning. The AP notes both parties are unpopular. Republicans do not win by waiting for Democrats to fail. They win by giving voters something to vote for.

What we could not check. The AP Voter Poll is a survey. We have not seen its methodology. Recommendations are ours and not those of any named source. Counts are unofficial.

Sources: AP takeaways, https://apnews.com/article/election-takeaways-midterms-trump-democrats-takeover-republicans-1cb09c8674598632ec3e4307eda5fbb8. Fox News (Ingraham), https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/laura-ingraham-richer-safer-stronger-why-trump-agenda-deserves-keep-going. Fox News (Thune), https://www.foxnews.com/politics/thune-plans-run-republican-minority-leader-after-dem-midterm-takeover

## Source

Original reporting: [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/election-takeaways-midterms-trump-democrats-takeover-republicans-1cb09c8674598632ec3e4307eda5fbb8)