From Emily Singer, Daily Kos

Republicans publicly melt down as midterms loom

It’s really not a fun time to be a Republican, as the entire country has soured on President Donald Trump and voters gear up to punish the GOP at the ballot box on Nov. 3.

Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., center, chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, right, arrive for a closed-door meeting with Republican lawmakers to discuss a vote on a stopgap spending bill to keep the federal government fully funded through early December, avoiding the possibility of a shutdown before the midterm elections, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
GOP Rep. Andy Harris of MarylandJ. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
And you can tell Republicans are feeling the heat by the outbursts they’re having on debate stages, like GOP Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland.

His crash out happened during his debate with Democratic opponent Dan Schwartz, when the crowd erupted in laughter as Harris tried to blame high gas prices on Democrats.

When the laughter prevented Harris from continuing with his absurd lie, he chastised the audience members, whining that they were infringing upon his First Amendment rights.

“You are rude,” he scolded.

Then after the debate, Harris blew up at student journalist Cat Murphy, threatening to have her arrested for asking him about the Iran war.

“You are not allowed to record,” Harris yelled at Murphy, going on to wrongly define Maryland’s two-party consent law.

When Murphy—correctly—told him that the law does not apply to public spaces, like the one they were in, Harris melted down even more, threatening to have Murphy arrested.

“You’re gonna have to take her camera. She is violating the law. In fact, get an officer in here,” Harris said before storming out.

And Murphy’s response was the mic drop of the century.

“Congressman, you said that you supported the First Amendment,” she said. “What does this say about that?”

Of course, Harris never responded.

But it wasn’t just Harris who imploded live on camera this week.

Sen. Susan Collins, R, Maine, questions witness Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Washington.
GOP Sen. Susan Collins of MaineAP
GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was unable to come up with an example of her opposition to Trump making a difference in stopping his unpopular actions. It’s a line of attack that her Democratic opponent Troy Jackson has been making on the campaign trail, saying that Collins only votes against Trump when her vote isn’t actually needed.

“At one point, I had organized people to vote against Secretary Hegseth, as you undoubtedly had read at the very last minute. One of our Republicans changed his mind, otherwise he would have been defeated for that job,” Collins said.

“So that didn’t change the outcome?” the moderator replied.

“Well, it would have,” Collins said.

Oof.

Also in Maine, GOP House candidate Paul LePage melted down when his Democratic opponent Matt Dunlap questioned his residency.

“I’ve lived in Maine longer than you’ve been alive,” LePage screamed at Dunlap while waving his hand.

“Except for the time that you spend in Florida,” Dunlap replied, referring to the fact that LePage left Maine after he lost the governor’s race in 2022 and has now returned to run for office.

“Let me clear this with many people: Yes, I’m a snowbird. At my age, I don’t like snow anymore. I don’t ski anymore. I’ve got knee problems, so I don’t ski. I don’t play hockey anymore. So yes, in the winter months we go to Florida,” LePage said.

Meanwhile, in Alaska, GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan was bombing so badly that he accused his Democratic opponent Mary Peltola of receiving the debate questions in advance.

“Can I ask the moderator a question? We weren’t supposed to get these questions beforehand, were we?” Sullivan said.

When the moderators replied that neither candidate was given the questions, Sullivan said, “Okay, I’m just watching my opponent read from questions that seem to be answered.”

To which Peltola dropped the mic, saying “I’m prepared.”

Ultimately, debates rarely make a difference in the outcome of an election. But this cycle, they lay bare how difficult it is to be a Republican having to answer for—and try to distance from—Trump’s many failures.

At the end of the day, Trump is an anvil dragging down the GOP—even in deeply red areas. That’s why Election Day is going to be a bloodbath for Republicans.