BREAKING: Republicans are going to the press to openly admit they don't have a winning message for the midterms as…

                                                                                                           

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BREAKING: Republicans are going to the press to openly admit they don't have a winning message for the midterms as Trump's approval plummets to new lows

The Republican Senate Caucus is openly admitting the Senate is in play largely due to the Republican Party's inability to craft a message on the issue most Americans care about: affordability.

Ethan Wolf Feb 16

Good morning, and welcome back to The Wolf’s Den. It’s February 16th which also happens to be President’s Day.

While most of the country is (rightfully) taking a breather, here’s what’s happening behind the scenes in Washington: Republican senators are quietly telling reporters they’re worried their own agenda hasn’t done a thing to address the affordability crisis crushing American families.

We’ll break down everything you need to know about these concerns and a special message for President’s Day, below.

Before I continue, I want to thank you for your support. Because of you, I am able to report on the news in a way that does not water down the facts or run away from the most challenging stories. I am able to report on them clearly in a way that maintains editorial independence. If you believe that work is important, please join our community by subscribing.

One quote, in particular, says the quiet part out loud.

In the middle of growing public anxiety over the cost of living — health care, mortgages, car loans, groceries, utilities — Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville summed up his party’s governing strategy with brutal honesty:

“Are we doing enough? We’re not doing anything… Everybody’s working on getting elected.”

That’s not a Democratic attack line. That’s a Republican senator basically confessing that the GOP is more focused on politics than policy — even as working people get squeezed harder every month.

The affordability crisis is real — and it’s the ballot question of 2026

Americans don’t need a white paper to understand what’s happening. They’re feeling it every time they open their insurance portal, refill prescriptions, renew a lease, pay the electric bill, or walk out of a grocery store with two bags and a $90 receipt.

And here’s the part Republicans can’t run from:

Donald Trump promised voters that prices would come down fast — “day one” rhetoric, repeated at the convention, repeated on the campaign trail, repeated in the inaugural messaging. He framed affordability as the reason he won.

Now you’ve got a Republican senator admitting, point blank, that they’re not delivering. Not even trying.

This is why this story matters: Affordability isn’t a side issue. It’s the issue. It’s what decides elections when people are tired, stressed, and looking for proof that anyone in power is actually fighting for them.

Republicans “violated the promise” — and people are paying the price

Let’s get specific about what “doing nothing” looks like in practice.

Republicans have not offered a serious plan to lower costs — and on health care, they’ve helped create more chaos by allowing key protections to lapse without replacement. The result is exactly what you’d expect:

• Premiums rising

• families losing coverage

• millions forced to go uninsured because it’s simply too expensive

That’s not “fiscal responsibility.” That’s policy malpractice.

And it’s why, heading into the 2026 midterms, Democrats are suddenly in a much stronger position than pundits want to admit.

Not just to compete — but to win.

We’ve been told the Senate map is impossible. We’ve been told flipping multiple seats can’t happen. But when the other party is openly acknowledging they’re “not doing anything” while families struggle to survive, the math changes fast.

President’s Day reminder: America is an unfinished project

I want to end with something bigger than today’s headlines.

This weekend, Senator Jon Ossoff gave a speech that hit me hard — he invoked past movements, especially the Civil Rights Movement, to remind people that if we could win those fights, we can win the fights of today and tomorrow, too.

And on President’s Day, that message matters.

Think about the moments when this country was tested — and the leaders who helped pull us forward:

• Lincoln in the Civil War

• FDR through the Great Depression and World War II

• Obama after the 2008 economic crash

America is approaching its 250th year, and the truth is simple: we’re an unfinished book. The thing that makes this country special isn’t that we’re perfect — it’s that we can grow, adapt, and expand freedom when people refuse to give up.

Yes, Trump is president right now. And yes, there are plenty of reasons people feel stressed, anxious, and furious about what he’s doing.

But we’ve endured worse. And we’ve come out stronger.

So here’s my President’s Day ask:

Do one productive thing today.
One call. One email. One post. One conversation. One act of community. One step toward building the future you want.

Because together — not individually, not in silos — we can make a difference.

I’ll keep you updated on the latest.

-Ethan