Is Running From Trump Enough to Save Republicans on Tuesday?

A look at candidates from President Trump’s party who are running on a platform of criticizing him.
In next week’s midterm elections, a specific kind of Republican candidate is appealing to disillusioned voters of both parties: moderates willing to criticize President Trump.
Jess Bidgood explains how some Republicans are trying to bring back an older version of their party.
Guest: Jess Bidgood (nytimes.com/by/jess-bidgood), a political journalist for The New York Times
Background reading:
• A Trump backlash endangers Susan Collins (nytimes.com/2026/10/14/us/politics/susan-colli…), the only blue-state Republican senator.
• From Opinion: John E. Sununu is running a model campaign. He might still lose (nytimes.com/2026/10/10/opinion/john-sununu-new…).
Photo: CJ Gunther/Getty Images; Sophie Park/Getty Images

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