'Canary in the coal mine': Republicans fear Democratic wins mean more losses to come
By Robert Costa and Philip Rucker November 8 at 9:54 PM
A wave of Democratic victories ignited a ferocious debate across the Republican Party on Wednesday over whether President Trump’s unorthodox behavior and polarizing agenda are jeopardizing the GOP’s firm grip on power in Congress, governors’ mansions and state legislatures.
The recriminations sparked by Tuesday’s results — a decisive rebuke of Trump and his policies in Virginia and elsewhere — threatened the fragile GOP push to pass sweeping tax cuts by the end of the year and raised deeper questions about Republican identity and fealty to a historically unpopular president.
A year ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, Republicans are increasingly uncertain about keeping their majorities on Capitol Hill and are worried about how damaging Trump’s jagged brand of politics may become to the party.
“Donald Trump is an anchor for the GOP,” said veteran party strategist Mike Murphy, a Trump critic. “We got that message in loud volume in Virginia. The canary in the coal mine didn’t just pass out; its head exploded.”
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/canary-in-the-coal-mine-republicans-fear-democratic-wins-mean-more-losses-to-come/2017/11/08/15130b64-c4b0-11e7-84bc-5e285c7f4512_story.html
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