GOP strategists see 2028 Electoral College path shrink after midterm losses

Republican strategists are alarmed that the party's 2028 Electoral College path has become significantly harder following major Democratic gains in the midterm elections, with previously reliable states like Texas now considered in jeopardy. More than a dozen strategists told Politico that Democratic victories in Ohio and Iowa, along with continued leftward shifts in Georgia and Arizona, have scrambled the presidential map. Democrats also now hold governorships in all 10 battleground states, removing a key organizational advantage Republicans previously relied upon. Texas, with its 40 electoral votes, emerged as the biggest Democratic prize, driven by demographic changes and Hispanic voter shifts. While Democrats caution their gains may not be permanent, strategists warn that the GOP's dominance in former strongholds was tied closely to Trump's appeal, which has weakened.