'Extinction-level event,' 'blue tsunami': How Republicans eyeing 2028 are taking midterm losses

Key Points:

• Several Republicans considering 2028 presidential runs have critically assessed the party's poor midterm election performance, emphasizing the need for the GOP to find a path forward after Democrats won back the House, Senate, and key races in traditionally red states.
• Sen. Ted Cruz described the GOP's losses as a "Watergate-level repudiation," highlighting that Republicans lost every statewide election in Texas and attributing the defeat to dismissing the rising cost of living as a key voter concern.
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the election results a "meteor strike" and an "extinction-level event" for Republicans, noting that rebuilding the party will take time and pointing to Florida as an example of how to build a resilient coalition.
• Vice President JD Vance blamed the party's losses primarily on the war in Iran, arguing that the conflict cost Republicans the Senate and emphasizing that honest discussions about the party's future must acknowledge this factor.
• Former President Donald Trump rejected responsibility for the GOP's poor showing, asserting that the party would have won if he had been on the ballot, while Vance acknowledged immigration enforcement issues but warned against offering amnesty to migrants.