Hey, fellow Republicans. Tired of winning yet?

President Trump has broken his promise to Republicans that we were going to win so much we would get tired of winning.

He has spent the entirety of his second term paying attention only to his base, which is not even close to a majority of the electorate. Amazingly, Trump has managed to tarnish the MAGA brand so much that now it has a higher unfavorable rating than the Democratic Socialists of America.

Yet Trump led the Republican messaging in the midterms, with his 37 percent approval rating, pleading with voters to pretend he was on the ballot. They did, and the result was a good old-fashioned whooping on Republicans up and down the ballot.

This was pure political malpractice driven by Trump himself. Contrary to MAGA doctrine, being president does not make you a political genius.

Here is what the president said on Oct. 24 in Georgia: “The United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars. I don’t give a damn, I’m going to say it — we’re making a freaking fortune.”

He conveniently left out that those billions of dollars come out of the pockets of hardworking American families. Most of them vote.

Republicans lost at least 24 House seats (probably many more) and seven Senate seats, with Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi still undecided.

Trump pushed Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) out of his reelection campaign. Republicans lost the seat. Trump pushed Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) out of her reelection campaign. Republicans lost the seat. Likewise, Trump’s attacks pushed popular Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) into retirement. Republicans lost the seat.

In October, Trump attacked Florida Republican Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) on her immigration position. It may have helped Salazar, who stood up to Trump’s very unpopular Immigration and Customs Enforcement immigration raids, save her seat by a whisker.

Most egregious of all, in Texas, Trump endorsed Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R). Paxton had a record of multiple legal and ethical problems. Cornyn had a record of overwhelming support for Trump. Republicans spent millions of dollars trying to save Paxton. That is money that could have been spent to win Ohio or Iowa. Instead, Republicans lost even the Texas seat.

In South Carolina, Trump pushed Darline Graham, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, into running following her appointment to finish out her brother’s term. He did so because the alternative was Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) who had incurred Trump’s wrath by supporting his former governor, Nikki Haley, in the 2024 presidential primaries. Republicans lost the seat.

The 2026 Republican bloodbath rests totally on President Trump.

Fifteen months ago, I wrote on these pages that the MAGA agenda was pushing Trump out of the mainstream. As the his second term unfolded, it became obvious that his preoccupation with issues most voters did not care about was becoming a big problem.

As American families became more and more concerned about the rising costs of groceries, the president told them those price increases were “peanuts” and a Democratic “hoax.” The 2026 midterm election cried out to be localized by Republican candidates. The president refused to let this happen. In the “me” presidency, everything must be about him.

Bad political decisions by the president have ended the careers of promising up and coming Republicans. This election’s bad effects on Republicans are not over. While the media focused on the congressional outcomes, hundreds of state legislative races around the country were still decided. Republican candidates in those state legislative races ran against the same undertow that the Trump administration produced nationally.

Going forward, the state and local results will be a big problem. The Republican bench has been decimated. In 2028, freshman Democrats in Congress will face an easier reelection because their toughest Republican opponent will have lost his or her down-ballot reelection in 2026.

So, if you are a somewhat young conservative who believes in limited government, the Constitution, government efficiency and strong loyalty to a set of governing principles rather than to an individual, then there is a city or county council seat or a state legislative seat which beckons to you.

Please go for it.

Kevin Igoe is the former deputy chief of staff of the Republican National Committee and former executive director of the Maryland Republican Party. He served as chief of staff of the Maryland Department of Budget and Management and was a Reagan White House appointee.