Laura Ingraham, host of Fox News, claimed that many Republicans secretly want to lose the midterm elections to avoid the obligation to pass legislation backed by Donald Trump. Ingraham made this claim during a conversation on Thursday with Larry Kudlow, Fox Business economic analyst.
Economic Situation Review
Ingraham and Kudlow discussed a series of economic indicators that they said reflect the positive performance of the U.S. economy. Kudlow, referring to rising gas prices due to the ongoing war in Iran, said, "The economy is thriving." He added, "Wealth has increased, incomes are up, and poverty has decreased."
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Ingraham pointed to new statistics released by the Census Bureau showing that real household incomes reached their highest level in 2025. She said, "One of the most astonishing statistics is that the Trump administration increased personal incomes in one year more than the Biden administration did in four years."
Challenges for Republicans
Ingraham continued, "Why aren't Republicans shouting this from the rooftops?" Kudlow, who was previously an economist in the Trump administration, replied, "I call this the biggest story never told, because Republicans aren't telling it." Ingraham then raised the issue that the problem goes beyond poor messaging, saying, "How many Republicans secretly want Trump to fail?" She continued that it seems many Republicans in Congress will be relieved of the burden of passing legislation and feel comfortable about it.
While Republicans are in the majority, they have been unable to be particularly active in passing legislation. According to the Washington Post, Congress set a modern record in 2025 by passing the fewest number of laws in the first year of a new presidency. Ingraham expressed concern, saying, "I’m sorry to report this, but there’s no other explanation for why Republicans shouldn’t be defending the U.S. economy."
Kudlow responded, "I think they better be defending it, otherwise many of them will be out of work." He also noted that Republicans need therapy sessions.
Polls show that many Americans do not agree with Ingraham and Kudlow's positive assessment of the economic situation. In a Financial Times poll conducted in August, 53% of voters said they are in a worse financial situation during Trump’s presidency compared to Biden’s. Gas prices have also been raised as a major concern. In a Politico poll conducted in July, 46% of respondents said they expect this issue to affect their votes in the November elections.
For example, the average price of a gallon of gasoline on Friday was $4.46, up from $2.98 two days before the start of the Iran war. Polls also indicate that Republicans may face a significant loss in the upcoming midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. History shows that the president's party typically loses seats in these elections.
Last month, Ingraham warned that Republicans need to get their act together.
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Source: independent.co.uk
