Washington’s conservative activists brace for Democratic rule in Congress

By Kerry Picket - The Washington Times - Thursday, October 29, 2026

With just days until the midterm elections, some conservative activists in Washington are already preparing for a divided government.

Though some are banking that bad polling will usher in a GOP upset on Tuesday, others accept the conventional wisdom that Republicans will suffer big losses — and will look to advance their causes with judicial appointments and President Trump’s executive action.

Andrew Langer of Institute for Liberty, a conservative advocacy group focused on technology and national security, said it is “highly unlikely” the GOP will keep the House.

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“I’ve never thought that it was going to be a blue wave. I think it’s going to be the mirror image of what happened in 2022, and we all thought there was going to be a red wave, and it wound up being a red trickle,” he said.

If Republicans lose one or both chambers, he said, “It’s all going to be about defense … defending some of what the Democrats think is unpopular, but in fact, among the general public are very popular policy accomplishments of the White House.”

However, Saul Anuzis, president of the right-leaning 60 Plus Association that advocates for senior citizens, said Republicans are in a “stronger position than people think.”

“I still think we hold the Senate. The issue is what we do in the House and how badly we lose with the seats we picked up with reapportionment,” Mr. Anuzis said, referencing the Republican mid-decade redistricting efforts.

“I think that helps us a lot. I think we’re not going to have a 40-seat loss like some people have predicted in the past.”

If Democrats take the House, Mr. Anuzis expects only limited “truly bipartisan” legislation to pass, such as budget deals, but no major policy changes.

If the GOP loses the House gavel, he said, the Senate is key to President Trump’s most achievable domestic goal: adding more lifetime-appointed judges.

Grover Norquist, president of the low-tax advocacy group Americans for Tax Reform, said he expects “some anti-Trump wave” that could hurt Republican Senate and House candidates.

But he said the issues tied to Mr. Trump’s agenda will supersede him.

“Where are people on taxes? Where are they on his successes on having a secure border, on having limited regulations and more supportive energy dominance in the United States,” Mr. Norquist said. “I think we’ll see those issues continue to be important throughout generations.”