Overview
- Andrew Egger of The Bulwark published transcripts from multiple conservative radio interviews quoting Joe Gruters saying Republicans are “facing almost certain defeat” in 2026.
- The RNC and Gruters rejected the coverage as misleading, highlighting fuller passages that include “I like our chances in the midterms” and asserting confidence in winning.
- Egger said SoundCloud recordings he linked to in his report were later deleted by the RNC, a move that raised transparency questions about the party’s posted interviews.
- RNC Research and the Democrats’ official accounts amplified competing excerpts on X, escalating a public fight over what Gruters said and how it was framed.
- Coverage places the episode in the context of the incumbent party’s typical midterm disadvantage and recent Democratic special-election gains, which Gruters cited in tempering expectations.