Trump, Russia, and the 2018 Election
Russia is the single biggest threat to the United States today. Its efforts to undermine our democracy and election started long before the 2016 election. But, the investigation into their efforts started in Spring 2015. President Obama’s first briefing about the investigation was in June 2015. Just over one year later, in August 2016, Donald Trump received his first briefing when he became the GOP nominee, just as Hillary Clinton did at the same time. Every day since that first briefing to Trump the walls of the Russia investigation has been closing in on him inch by inch.
There is no question that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. They not only used social media and other platforms to peddle propaganda, but it is also more than likely that Russia interfered in a much more direct fashion with far worse consequences. And it is very likely Russia will do all of that and more again in 2018 to help Trump and the GOP. If the 2018 election is on the up and up, without any illegal, outside interference by Russia or any other entity, then Democrats will win the House and the Senate. Trump, Russia, and the Republicans know it…and so do the American people.
When the American people saw Trump standing next to Putin in Helsinki capitulating to him, defending Putin and Russia but not the American people and America, they dramatically turned against him. It happened in a minute. Their worst fears about Trump, that he wasn’t on Team USA but on Team Putin, was there for the world to see. And the poll numbers started to drop…and then crater.
In the past seven days, the Woodward book, the anonymous New York Times op-ed, and Mueller calling Trump’s bluff by his willingness to accept his answers to questions in writing all have registered with voters. A series of polls have come out, with the latest Quinnipiac poll results cited here and released in the last 24 hours, and each one has shown a decline in Trump’s standing. Voters disapprove of the job Trump is doing 54-38. They also believe 55-28 that aides were working behind the scenes to stop Trump from making bad decisions. Voters believe Mueller is running a fair investigation into Trump and Russia 55-32, up four points since mid-August, and that Trump is not honest 60-32.
Voters are paying attention and Trump is paying the price. Will Russia bail him out again in 56 days? No one is doing anything to stop them and hope isn’t a strategy. If it’s a fair election it’s clear Trump and the Republicans lose. Let’s hope…