How Trump’s Robert E. Lee comments could affect the midterm elections

Last Saturday at an Ohio rally, President Donald Trump praised Robert E. Lee as “a great general.” These comments come as the latest in a long pattern of off-color comments by the President pertaining to the Confederacy. Though the statement was not unique, it did come less than a month before the November 2018 midterms, leading many to speculate about the effect it may have on the elections.

First and most obviously, the comments are likely to further energize the already-outraged Democratic base. A large contingent of the voting population already believes Trump to hold racist beliefs, and the statement is likely to reinforce their convictions. This, in combination with Trump’s historically low approval ratings and numerous scandals, could aid the Democrats in trying to take back Congress.

However, various factors may cause the statement to help the GOP instead. Due to the harsh partisan divide in modern American politics, many right-wing voters may back the president’s comments simply because of the Democratic outrage they sparked. Additionally, in much of rural America, the Confederacy is still idolized and seen as a symbol of virtuous rebellion. Voters in these areas may see the backlash caused by the comments as an attack on their beliefs.

Trump’s supporters may also react strongly to the media coverage of the statement. NBC posted a clip on its twitter account misrepresenting the president’s comments. Though a correction was soon issued, Trump has convinced his supporters that the media is the “enemy of the people” and this mistake fits neatly into that narrative.

In today’s increasingly unstable political climate, it’s often impossible to do any more than speculate as to the results of any given event. Whatever effect the comments may have on the midterms will only be revealed after the elections.