Dem governors predict a ‘blue wave’ in November with Trump’s stances on tariffs, war

LOUISVILLE — Ahead of elections that could determine control of Congress and states for the rest of President Donald Trump’s second term, Democratic governors say they are happy to talk to voters about the president’s policies. 

At the Democratic Governors Association’s fall policy conference in Louisville, a few governors said Thursday their party’s candidates will win voters on affordability and took aim at Trump’s policies on foreign tariffs and the war in Iran, boosting prices on groceries and gas at home. 

The prediction came a day after Trump and Republicans rallied in Texas for a midterm convention. There, the president said he’d send American adults a $5,000 check if the GOP retains control of the House and Senate and “pretend that I’m on the ballot.” 

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, the DGA chair, said that he supports Trump “saying this election is fully about him.” 

“He’s telling people to pretend that he’s on the ballot. I want people to pretend that he’s on the ballot,” Beshear said. “If you are for tariffs, vote for Donald Trump, the Republican candidate. If you are for gas being higher, vote for Donald Trump, the Republican candidate. Otherwise, vote for the Democrat.” 

Trump’s approval rating nationwide has been trending downward for weeks. A poll from Focaldata/Financial Times released over Labor Day weekend said that 32% of Americans approved of the president’s job performance. A YouGov/Economist projection released Aug. 21 showed the president’s job approval rating negative in all but three states.

Beshear told reporters and online content creators the DGA will launch an “Expand the Map” fund on Monday that is a “solely dedicated fund to changing the playing field and changing the states that we’re competing in.” Wins this year create “a bigger path and a bigger map in 2028,” he added. 

The Kentucky governor was joined by Govs. Laura Kelly of Kansas, Tim Walz of Minnesota, Bob Ferguson of Washington and Matt Meyer of Delaware. The governors said Canada is an important trading partner for their states and criticized Trump’s trade war that has escalated in recent days. 

Walz said the deteriorating relationship between the U.S. and Canada not only affects economies in his state, which is on the border, but is “deeply cultural and so personal and so damaging.” 

“Our hockey teams play each other. We grocery shop in the stores across the border. I have to leave Minnesota to get to part of Minnesota because I have to go through Manitoba to get to the Northwest Angle. … These are our closest allies,” Walz said. 

Kelly said Trump’s plan to import beef to lower prices has brought “unfair competition” to Kansas farmers. 

“They need predictability. They need access to markets. They need to know that when they plant their crops or raise their cattle, that there will be a market for what they produce,” she said. “Instead, they’re being asked to absorb consequences of a trade war they didn’t start.” 

The governors also predict a “blue wave” this fall, citing a rise in Democrats voting in their states. Ferguson said Washington Democrats have made gains in districts they lost a couple of years ago. Beshear also said Kentucky Democrats are poised to flip the 6th Congressional District this fall, which “shows you the motivation that’s out there.”