Voters expressed dissatisfaction with their ballots, but the Republican Party did not adjust its course. Jordan will lead the House Republicans, Miller enters the core of power in the White House, and the Trump camp is adopting a tougher stance to face the political confrontation after the Democrats take control of Congress.

Written by: Xiao Yanyan, Jinshi Data

In response to the strong opposition votes against Trump cast by voters during the midterm elections, the Republican Party's reaction is quite counterintuitive: instead of adjusting their course, they are further reinforcing "Trumpism".

On Tuesday, House Republicans unexpectedly selected the hardline Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan to lead the Republican minority starting next year. Just days ago, Trump had just promoted the hardliner Stephen Miller, who pursues the "America First" agenda, to serve as the Director of the White House Office.

Meanwhile, Republicans, who are about to lose their majority in the House, are emerging from the haze of electoral defeat and are working together to block impeachment efforts against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Hegseth is one of the most prominent representatives of Trumpism in Trump's cabinet.

These actions clearly do not look like those of a party preparing to reflect on and take responsibility for losing in a national election, even in traditionally deep red states. On the contrary, the Republican Party's tough stance seems to confirm the judgment made on Monday by outgoing House Speaker Mike Johnson: "Voters made the wrong choice."

In the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) camp, aside from Trump himself, few are as aggressive as Jordan and Miller.

Jordan is tough and skilled at creating political confrontations. During his time in the minority, his influence might even surpass that during his time in power. He has fiercely attacked witnesses in numerous congressional hearings with rapid-fire questioning; next year, when the Democrats launch a massive investigation campaign, he will become Trump's first line of defense.

Miller is a distinct representative of the nationalist line among Trump's supporters. He will use Trump's remaining two years in office to vigorously advance this political agenda.

According to a CNN article, the ascent of these two sends a strong signal: despite voters having rejected Trump on multiple fronts including policy, governance performance, and personal style last week, the Republican Party has no intention of admitting mistakes, nor will it yield.

This is not a party preparing for self-reform, but a party intent on continuing to fight.

Electoral Defeat Fails to Prompt Republican Shift

From an outsider's perspective, Trump and his team should have conducted more reflection after the Republican Party lost its traditional red stronghold and the Democrats took the House and Senate.

If the Republican Party wants to turn its defeat around, regain control of Congress, and hold onto the White House in 2028, it must seek broader voter support. However, political movements rarely become moderate after experiencing setbacks. With the loss of support from moderate voters, Trump may now rely even more on his staunchest core supporters.

On Tuesday, House Republicans unexpectedly united to defeat the impeachment efforts against Hegseth proposed by the party's dissident, Congressman Thomas Massie. This once again shows that Trump's control over the Republican Party remains strong.

Keeping Hegseth's position may be seen as ignoring voters' wishes. After all, he is a key architect and staunch supporter of the war in Iran, which even caused dissatisfaction among many Republican voters.

However, just a week after suffering a heavy blow on election night, this vote still boosted the morale of House Republicans. Trump also celebrated this outcome enthusiastically on social media.

Nonetheless, this Republican victory in the House feels more like a holding action. The Democrats will have an overwhelming majority in the new Congress, and the Republicans find it difficult to stop their opponents from launching investigations and political offensives.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is about to become the new Speaker of the House, noted: "This is not the end, but just the beginning."

Republican Size Shrinks, But Trump’s Control May Strengthen

The Democrats scored a major victory in the midterm elections, and the Republicans face a tough battle to regain power in 2028.

In this context, it hardly seems wise for Trump to continue pushing a political agenda that voters have clearly opposed for the next two years.

However, the current Republican Party exactly reflects Trump's political style. This president often chooses to further escalate confrontation in the face of failure, even adopting more extreme measures.

Long ago, the Republican Party under Trump stopped listening to the advice of political commentators, moderates, and establishment leaders about future directions.

After the 2012 election, the Republican Party specifically commissioned an electoral review to analyze why its candidate Mitt Romney was unable to stop then-President Barack Obama from winning re-election.

The report concluded that the Republican Party must expand its base and appeal to more diverse young voters and female voters to win back the White House.

However, what happened afterward was quite the opposite. Trump quickly rose to prominence with populism, nationalism, and anti-immigration policies, ultimately winning the presidency and transforming the old-school, rigid Republican Party into his own image.

The rise of Jordan and Miller from the political ruins after the 2026 election is the latest manifestation of the Republican Party leaning back toward Trump's core supporters.

Jordan's victory also reflects a shift in the post-election political landscape. The Democrats' overwhelming victory last week nearly wiped out moderate Republicans who had won in swing districts. The remaining Republicans mostly come from staunchly Republican deep red districts, making their positions more conservative and more supportive of Trump.

This means that even if the Republican Party shrinks in size, Trump's control within the party may further strengthen.

The Democrats, on the other hand, will face the opposite situation in the new Congress. Having won many districts that were previously considered hard to reach, the party's ideological spectrum has clearly expanded. Senators from red states such as Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina will highlight the divergence in views between moderates and progressive leftists.

Immigration Policy Controversy Exposes Republican Reluctance to Concede

Grassroots Republican supporters still refuse to adjust their stance after the midterm election defeat, and the recent controversy surrounding immigration policy best illustrates this point.

During an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," Trump seemed to imply that he might reach an agreement with the new Democratic Congress on immigration reform. Subsequently, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin further hinted that the deal could involve providing permanent legal status to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. These individuals are commonly referred to as "Dreamers."

This statement triggered strong backlash on social media within the MAGA camp, and some even began to question whether Trump is abandoning his most loyal supporters.

Most Americans may have grown resentful of Trump's harsh crackdown on immigration. Trump previously admitted in a CBS interview that the related measures might have gone too far. But his core supporters do not wish to see any concessions.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham specifically warned on her Monday show against granting any "amnesty" to immigrants. The discussion was also titled "Wrong Lessons."

By Tuesday evening, Mullin appeared on Ingraham's show, insisting that there has been no change in the U.S. immigration and deportation policies.

In fact, as long as the Republican Party is still controlled by Trump, it is unrealistic to expect the party to immediately adjust its course after electoral defeats.

As to whether the Republican Party should reposition itself after the Trump era, this debate may be more suited for political figures who may lead the party in the future.

Following the Republican Party's defeat last week, the reactions of Vice President JD Vance and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have already revealed possible signs of future adjustments within the party.

Vance expressed a negative attitude toward the Iraq War, while DeSantis warned that this electoral defeat could inflict political damage on the Republican Party for up to a decade.

But at least for now, the political camp composed of Trump, Miller, Jordan, and Hegseth is gaining momentum for Trump's final phase in office. This means that Washington in 2027 is bound to usher in a tumultuous year.