The missing villain

Real talk: the GOP is lowkey struggling to find a main character to run against this midterm cycle. For years, Republicans relied on calling out specific heavy-hitters to stir up their base, but the vibes are off this time around. A deep dive into hundreds of battleground ads shows that the party hasn't successfully locked onto a single target to define their platform.

While they’ve tried to highlight progressive names like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, these icons aren't appearing in paid media nearly as much as expected. Even former President Joe Biden—who was a massive punching bag in previous cycles—is losing his luster as a campaign prop. Data from AdImpact shows that while Biden appeared in over 1,000 GOP ads during the 2024 cycle, his presence in this year's messaging is significantly down.

Why the old hits aren't landing

It’s giving a total identity crisis. Remember when Nancy Pelosi was the ultimate foil for the right? Since she stepped down from leadership, Republicans have lost that easy button. Her successor, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, just isn't generating the same levels of heat.

Even when Republicans try to pivot, the logic is messy. They’re still leaning on buzzwords like "socialism" and "communism," but pollster Matt Towery suggests that these terms don't hit the same way they used to. "I don’t think just calling a candidate ‘socialist’ works that well," Towery noted.

The Mamdani complication

Even when the GOP tries to find new targets, things get weird. Take NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Republicans hoped to use him as a villain, but his popularity has held steady. To make it even more awkward, President Donald Trump recently said he hoped Mamdani would be a "great mayor," which basically deleted the GOP’s attack angle in New York battlegrounds.

Meanwhile, Democrats have an easier time framing their campaign because Trump’s own approval numbers are hovering in the mid-thirties, making him a very clear target for the opposition.

Why it matters

Politics is a game of contrast, and when a party can't clearly define who their opponent is, it gets tough to win over undecided voters. If the GOP can't find a new villain soon, their strategy of running against a "radical left" that isn't really showing up on screen might just result in a big L.