American voters are increasingly faced with a new political disorder: Trump Disenchantment Syndrome.
asserted
voters → face → disorder
This new “TDS” is a national malaise reaching beyond Washington into congressional and gubernatorial races, leaving some Republicans and independents drifting away from Republican candidates struggling to counter a negativity they can’t control.
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they → reach → negativity
But one factor deserves closer examination: the difference between disliking a president’s personality and rejecting the policies and principles his party represents.
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party → deserve → policies
President Donald Trump has successfully pursued an aggressive agenda on border and national security, government efficiency, and economic opportunity.
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Trump → pursue → border
Energy production and foreign investment are up, and Trump Accounts now provide an entire generation of young Americans with a financial head start.
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Accounts → provide → start
Yet Trump’s accomplishments often compete with something more immediate in voters’ minds: His mouth.
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accomplishments → compete → minds
Public feuds with allies, provocative rhetoric about Greenland and Canada, juvenile nicknames for political opponents, and swearing during public speeches can overshadow substantive policy.
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feuds → overshadow → policy
When even voters who support his objectives tire of the spectacle, the political consequences become real.
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consequences → support → spectacle
Although it is difficult to discern the conflation of policy versus personality in a poll, a July Pew Research Center survey found that 42% of registered voters viewed their congressional vote as a vote against Trump.
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% → discern → Trump
By October, Pew found the gap widened to 44% voting against him versus 19% voting for him.
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gap → find → him
That is a powerful warning for Republicans and raises a question for voters: Are you choosing the candidate you believe will best serve your community or using your congressional vote to register your frustration with the president’s personality?
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you → raise → personality
It determines who writes legislation, controls congressional committees, conducts investigations, approves spending, and sets the direction of national policy.
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who → determine → policy
A change in congressional control would have negative personal consequences for voters extending well beyond Trump’s remaining time in office.
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change → have → office
If Democrats Socialists of America are seated in Congress, voters should understand their stated goals of eliminating police and prisons, unraveling the nuclear family, and completely taking over your income and financial choices could advance.
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goals → seat → choices
Although congressional control includes a coalition of competing factions within a party, the hard left, anti-American, jihadi-excusing factions are currently controlling the Democratic narrative — but a vote for a Democratic candidate helps elevate this dangerous faction from microphones to power.
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vote → include → power
Committee chairs matter.
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chairs → matter → ?
So do legislative agendas, oversight hearings, and the ability to block or advance bills.
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agendas → do → bills
A congressional majority shapes and controls the national debate.
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majority → shape → debate
“That nice Democrat” who knocked on your door will go to Washington or your state capital and caucus and vote with the Democratic Party, currently led by loud leftists who don’t like America and want to break it.
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who → knock → it
Here in Florida, where I live, stakes are tangible.
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stakes → live → Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has a record of removing government constraints from individuals and small business owners, providing educational choice to parents, and enhancing public safety.
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DeSantis → have → safety
Republican gubernatorial nominee Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) (conservative, limited government) and Democratic opponent David Jolly (liberal, big government) offer vastly different visions for the state’s future.
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Donalds → offer → future
Republican and independent voters should assess those visions on merits — not use the race to express approval or disapproval of the president — or they will be destroying the DeSantis legacy that benefited them greatly.
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that → assess → them
It is OK to dislike Trump’s personal style.
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It → dislike → style
But a vote for a candidate is not just a vote for that person — it’s a vote for that party and its policies.
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it → ’ → party
Voters have a responsibility to look beyond daily headline drama.
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Voters → have → drama
The question is not whether Trump sometimes behaves in ways that frustrate or embarrass people.
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that → behave → people
The question is whether that frustration should determine who controls the institutions that govern our lives.
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that → determine → lives
Disliking a president is not a governing philosophy.
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Disliking → dislike → president
Before casting a ballot, consider the policies, priorities, and people who will gain power if Republicans lose.
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Republicans → cast → power
Then vote for the future you actually want — not simply against the personality you have grown tired of and may cause you to hit the mute button on your TV.
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you → vote → TV
As the average tenure of a member of Congress is over 11 years, the consequences of today’s races will have a long-term reach into every American’s life.
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consequences → have → life
Don’t let disenchantment lead to a decision you — and your children — will regret.
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you → let → decision
Kerri Toloczko is a nationally recognized conservative public policy and coalitions expert and a veteran of presidential and congressional campaigns.
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Toloczko → recognize → campaigns
The Aporia
