Trump to Voters: ‘Pretend I’m on the Ballot’ as Midterms Become a Referendum on His Leadership

• by Shimanta Das
• October 20, 2026

President Trump is urging voters to treat the upcoming midterm elections as a direct referendum on his leadership, telling supporters to “pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot” and warning that Democrats would move to impeach him if they regain control of Congress. The appeal came during a rally where Trump framed the midterms as a choice between protecting his agenda and allowing Democrats to pursue what he called a “top agenda item” of impeachment against him and other Republican officials. His remarks underscore the high stakes he sees in the November contests and his effort to nationalize the elections around his own record.nnThe president’s warning comes as Republicans face challenging electoral headwinds. Decision Desk HQ places the odds that Democrats retake the House majority this year at 67 percent, while projecting there is a 52 percent chance Republicans retain their control of the Senate. A Democratic takeover of the House would give the party greater power to launch investigations and pursue impeachment proceedings against Trump, although impeachment would require approval by the House and conviction by a two-thirds majority in the Senate for removal from office. Trump’s plea to supporters—“So essentially I’m saying, ‘Please pretend I’m running’”—reflects his concern that a defeat could put key Republican policies at risk. “You got to come out and vote,” he said.nnDemocrats, meanwhile, are linking Trump and his allies to economic woes, with affordability emerging as voters’ top concern. A recent ad from the House Majority PAC, a super PAC dedicated to electing Democrats to the House, features a middle-aged woman standing over her kitchen stove talking about how her family is “barely getting by” before expressing disappointment in Pennsylvania Rep. [Name]. “Every single poll and every single focus group shows affordability to be voters’ number one issue, and they specifically point to corrupt politicians as being responsible for driving up prices,” said House Majority PAC spokesperson Katarina Flicker. The ad is part of a broader Democratic effort to tie Republicans to rising costs and portray them as out of touch with working families.nnThe midterm elections will thus serve as a pivotal test of Trump’s influence and the Republican Party’s stewardship of Congress. With