Trump’s Worst Nightmare Comes True as His Own Voters Check Out

Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images Donald Trump is practically begging his supporters to pretend he is on the ballot this November, but a new poll suggests the pitch is falling flat.

The president, 80, has repeatedly urged Republicans to treat the midterms as a referendum on his second term, apparently betting that putting himself at the center of the elections will energize the MAGA base and drive Republicans to the polls.

At a rally in Nebraska on Monday, he made that message explicit.

“When I am on the ballot, people show up and we always win,” Trump said.

“I am asking you to do me a favor and pretend I am on the ballot.” Later, he put it more simply: “In a true way, I am running.

We have to keep it going.” But a new Reuters/Ipsos poll points to a potentially serious problem for that strategy: Trump voters are far less enthusiastic about voting than the voters he defeated in 2024.

Just 30 percent of people who voted for Trump in 2024 said they were “very enthusiastic” about casting a ballot in this year’s midterms.

Among voters who backed Kamala Harris, the figure was 48 percent.

That 18-point enthusiasm gap could be particularly consequential in a midterm election, when turnout is typically lower than in presidential contests.

And among voters who are enthusiastic about November’s election, opposition to Trump appears to be a more powerful motivator than support for him.

Sixty-two percent said they were excited to vote against Trump, compared with 36 percent who said they were eager to support him.

Republican strategist Charlie Gerow acknowledged the challenge, telling Reuters: “The enthusiasm has to be ginned up among Republicans because turnout is what’s going to determine the outcome of these midterm elections.” The poll also found that Trump’s supporters are less settled on their congressional choices.

While most Trump and Harris voters intend to support candidates from their respective parties, 13 percent of Trump voters said they were still unsure who they would vote for, compared with 7 percent of Harris voters.

That is not the only poll that has shown such a result.