At the beginning of this cycle, I had conversations with strategists on both sides about the challenges for each party going into 2018. Democrats were worried that Trump had his own ‘brand’ that would make it hard to try and link GOP candidates to the unorthodox and unconventional president. Trying to hold a sitting Republican member of Congress accountable for Trump’s tweets wouldn’t pass the smell test with voters.
Republicans, meanwhile, were going to localize their races to help insulate their vulnerable incumbents from any Trump drag.
But, with just under three weeks left until the election, there is no distinction between the Trump brand and the GOP brand. The GOP brand is Trump. CONT.
Amy Walter, Cook Political Report