The Irish Times view on the US midterms: a bleak vista for Trump
Tuesday’s US midterm elections may be a turning point for the US and a moment that puts a brake on the reckless, vindictive and corrupt misrule of Donald Trump. It will be a chance to safeguard the country’s democracy and begin the process of repairing the damage that has been done to its institutions. Midterm voters traditionally turn against incumbent presidents, a trend that Trump has inadvertently encouraged by insisting they should imagine his name is on the ballot. Yet, despite hitting his lowest-ever approval ratings, Trump nevertheless retains his sense of invulnerability. His confidence has been bolstered by the gerrymandering of electoral districts to ensure Republican victories. His justice department has made numerous attempts to limit ballot access. And Republicans have broken spending records, with Elon Musk alone pouring $276 million to political funding groups since July. At stake are all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35…