What Dan Pfeiffer has said about 2026 United States midterm elections

Pfeiffer argues Republicans have fewer tools than in 2006 because TV advertising matters less.

“I do feel like they have fewer levers to pull than they did in 2006, in part because TV ads clearly matter less than they did back then”

Pod Save America: Have Republicans Already Blown the Midterms? (Oct 18, 2026) · Listen from 7:47

Pfeiffer recommends watching Kentucky's 6th district as an early indicator because Kentucky's polls close first.

“if you're looking for a canary in the coal mine in either direction, how things come in in that Kentucky six race”

Pod Save America: Have Republicans Already Blown the Midterms? (Oct 18, 2026) · Listen from 51:21

Pfeiffer argues that Trump's visit to Alabama's 2nd district could backfire by energizing Black voters in a deeply red area.

“So I think there's a very real chance that Trump could actually, in trying to do no harm, could do real harm even in this very, very deeply red district”

Pod Save America: Choosin' Texas with Bobby Pulido (Sep 27, 2026) · Listen from 3:19

Pfeiffer predicts Democrats will win all nine Republican-held House seats that Kamala Harris carried.

“I think you can assume that given this political environment, Democrats will win all nine seats that Kamala Harris won”

Pod Save America: Choosin' Texas with Bobby Pulido (Sep 27, 2026) · Listen from 28:38

Pfeiffer argues Trump has less power to interfere in elections than he believes, and the speech did not raise his concern.

“I am no more worried after this speech than I was before. This was just stupid”

Pod Save America: Trump's Explosive Diarrhea of the Mouth (Jul 17, 2026) · Listen from 15:37

Pfeiffer argues the speech hurt Republicans because the midterms are about cost of living.

“We are in a world where this is an election entirely about affordability”

Pod Save America: Trump's Explosive Diarrhea of the Mouth (Jul 17, 2026) · Listen from 22:20

Pfeiffer calls the New York Times/Siena polls a reality check on how difficult the Senate map is for Democrats.

“These polls are a somewhat painful reality check of just how tough the Senate map is”

Pod Save America: Trump’s 4th Threesome (Jul 2, 2026) · Listen from 50:16

Pfeiffer argues that because perceptions of the economy lag reality, even modest improvement is unlikely to help Republicans in the fall.

“even if things got a little bit better, it's unlikely to help Republicans this fall”

Pod Save America: Is It Gay to Flip Texas? (May 29, 2026) · Listen from 13:43

Pfeiffer argues Trump's attacks on Republican incumbents are angering senators and reducing the party's chances of keeping the Senate majority.

“he's making in almost all of these cases, he's making it less likely they keep the majority”

Pod Save America: Trump's Revenge Leads to Republican Revolt (May 22, 2026) · Listen from 15:50

Pfeiffer says the poll shows Democratic voters have adopted the view that the party lost in 2024 by being too far left.

“the narrative that Democrats lost because we were too far to the left, too woke, too liberal has taken hold among Democrats”

Pod Save America: Trump's Revenge Leads to Republican Revolt (May 22, 2026) · Listen from 49:22

Pfeiffer argues Democratic voters want bold economic and health care change even as they favor moderation on some issues.

“there is an appetite for big, bold ideas on the economy and healthcare. And people want real change”

Pod Save America: Trump's Revenge Leads to Republican Revolt (May 22, 2026) · Listen from 53:07

Pfeiffer argues James Blair's 'woke, weak' strategy is an outdated rerun of 2024 because voters now see Trump as weak and Republicans as extreme.

“trying to rerun the 2024 strategy in 2026. And I have bad news for Mr. Blair. It's not 2024 anymore”

Pod Save America: Trump Admits He's for He/Him, Not You (May 15, 2026) · Listen from 51:55

Pfeiffer advises Democratic candidates to inoculate themselves by separating from the party and showing they are fighters.

“this is an attack on generic Democrats. Don't be a generic Democrat. Find ways to separate yourself from the party”

Pod Save America: Trump Admits He's for He/Him, Not You (May 15, 2026) · Listen from 54:12

Pfeiffer predicts Democrats would remain favored to win the House majority even if they lose the Virginia redistricting case.

“I still think even if we lost Virginia, I still think Democrats would be favored to take the majority”

Pod Save America: It's One Ballroom, Donald, How Much Could It Cost? (May 8, 2026) · Listen from 42:52

Pfeiffer argued Democrats must gerrymander blue states aggressively until they can pass a national ban on partisan gerrymandering.

“we have to do this up until the moment where we have enough power to pass a national ban on partisan gerrymandering”

Pod Save America: Did Trump's Supreme Court Rig the Midterms? (May 1, 2026) · Listen from 48:01

Pfeiffer said Trump no longer boosts Republican turnout, citing strong disapproval at twice the level of strong approval.

“the number of Americans who strongly disapprove of Trump is two times the number of Americans who strongly approve of Trump. Republicans like Trump, they don't love him anymore”

Pod Save America: Blue Wave Building in the Strait of Hormuz (Mar 27, 2026) · Listen from 30:33

Pfeiffer said conditions resemble past wave elections but Democrats still must improve their party brand and win trust on cost of living.

“this is a historic opportunity for the party. The political Storm clouds have aligned as such that we have a shot to have a very, very big election. We have work to do to get there”

Pod Save America: Blue Wave Building in the Strait of Hormuz (Mar 27, 2026) · Listen from 35:53