By Jeffrey A. Rendall
Republicans have been preoccupied with Iran, but mustn’t lose sight of November
If you’ve listened to the establishment media this week, you’ve no doubt garnered that most of the coverage of news events centered on the “shiny object” of current events — the ongoing incursion of U.S. forces halfway around the globe in Iran.
I don’t want to use the word “War” because, thus far, the results have been rather one-sided and the carefully-schemed expedition has been virtually flawlessly carried out by the consummate professionals of the United States military. And don’t forget Israel’s contribution to the effort, which has performed its portion of the mission just as precisely.
While all of this has gone on, campaign planners from both parties have been busy strategizing behind the scenes, examining polling data and figuring out which voter groups will play the most prominent roles in November’s elections outcomes.
If no stone is left unturned, no voter classification is being ignored. Republicans need to concentrate on bringing out seniors this year, no ifs, ands or buts about it.
But how? In a well-reasoned piece titled, “To win in November, Republicans must focus on seniors”, Michael McKenna wrote at The Washington Times earlier this week:
“… When the campaigns turn their attention to seniors, they need to focus on Mr. Trump’s record of eliminating Social Security taxes and working to embed the $6,000 senior exemption in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and they need to remind voters of drug cost reforms.
“The survey results suggest that such an approach can help carry them across the finish line in November.
“It is important to reflect on what will be at stake in the campaign. The simple and terrible reality of the elections in November is that control of the House, which will be essential in finishing the work this administration has set out to accomplish, will probably come down to about 100,000 votes spread out among perhaps 20 congressional districts.”
Yes, this is yet another hard dose of reality for those planning the 2026 campaign focus for Republican candidates all over the country. McKenna points out that Republicans have lots of voter blocs to be concerned about (Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, suburbanites, farmers, the overeducated, the undereducated, men and women, the young and the old…), but America’s senior citizens could be the most crucial.
This contention would make sense, seeing as the most seasoned of citizens would also pay attention to current events and see a world that is rapidly devolving around them. Seniors are apprehensive about costs, the stability of the major entitlement programs and leaving an America worth fighting for after dedicating their lives to building up the nation they loved.
Young voters haven’t seen it all. Seniors have. The nonsense emanating from Democrats isn’t just a collection of blowhard politicians bloviating about rights and privileges for supposedly oppressed social and cultural groups. For seniors, it’s personal.
McKenna pointed out that Trump captured a majority of senior voters in each of the elections he ran for president, but the margin in 2024 was his narrowest thus far. To their credit, in Trump’s opening months of his second term, Republicans included a couple key provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that should please seniors, namely the removal of taxes on Social Security benefits and various reforms related to prescription drug prices.
These measures will make a difference in lots of seniors’ lives. Will it be enough to influence them?
As would be expected, the condition of the economy will be the major concern of many voters this year, as it should. Many, many seniors are on fixed incomes, so incremental increases in everyday staples show up much quicker for them than they would for other age groups. Young people focus on housing outlays and the exploding cost of childcare.
Seniors worry about home values and the expenses related to long-term care and hospital stays, etc. The aforementioned tax reductions should help seniors see that their government is doing something about the age-specific dilemmas.
Not to be overlooked is the actuality seniors are reliable voters. The skeptical would suggest the reason older folks vote is because they don’t have anything better to do, but I believe it’s because seniors place more faith in the system and hope against hope that the world will look better with responsible representatives and lawmakers who take their jobs seriously.
Such considerations would seemingly point to Republicans this year since they’re in power and appear to be able to focus on something other than abortion, the LGBTQ agenda, “climate change” and social movements like Democrats fixate on. It’s my impression that seniors aren’t as likely to fall for Democrat scare tactics about “Trans issues” and the supposed civil rights implications of denying transgender youth (seeking operations to maim themselves before reaching the age of majority) the option of body alterations.
Donald Trump and Republicans have targeted their agenda towards improving the lives of all Americans, and most seniors hopefully will acknowledge it. Older folks want to leave a legacy of opportunity for those coming after them, and issues (like the federal budget and national debt) which don’t necessarily animate new voters, carry greater weight with the wise population.
So does foreign policy, which fits right in with President Trump’s recent bold moves to assert American power and reduce threats seniors have encountered their entire lives. My parents were kids during World War II, but the Korean and Vietnam conflicts were waged when they were in their adult primes.
Seniors vividly recall the country’s weakness during the 1970’s, specifically the Jimmy Carter years, and how it felt to wonder whether America would ever be strong again. The rise of the Ayatollah in Iran in 1979 wasn’t so long ago that today’s older voters don’t recollect the helplessness they felt when Islamic extremists held U.S. Embassy personnel hostage for over 400 days back then. Only the 1980 election and swearing-in of Ronald Reagan broke the logjam.
Seniors recall how many, many Americans tied yellow ribbons around trees and light poles to remind citizens of those being held against their will by evil foreign rulers.
They also remember Americans’ national pride when the 1980 U.S. Hockey team defeated the heavily favored Soviet National Team, a sense of accomplishment that was recently revived by the triumph of the 2026 men’s team in Italy last month. The shouts of “U-S-A, U-S-A!” during the players’ visit to the House Chamber for the SOTU brought it all back, didn’t it?
So yes, McKenna is correct to surmise Republicans should pay special attention to seniors in this most crucial of midterm election years.
There are a number of factors which should make senior voters feel good about the direction of the country. The unending storm of negativism from the media and opposition party won’t impact their view of Trump’s policies, especially when the measures passed last year kick-in and people start seeing the dollars in their bank accounts.
All Democrats offer seniors is more scare tactics regarding Social Security, Medicare and the cost of living. Reality is quite apart from the Democrats’ narrative. Trump and the Republican Congress are actually working to improve lives. Democrats just complain. Period.
As McKenna alluded to, Republicans have their work cut out for them in attempting to improve their chances with several of the important voter blocs, but there’s more to “sell” to older voters.
This week, President Trump detailed how the Iran mission is succeeding. From what it sounds like, much of Iran’s military capability has been and is being destroyed without a let-up from the American political leadership. Trump hasn’t ruled out putting American boots on the ground in the region, but like with Venezuela, won’t commit to something that bogs down men and women and resources.
Losing any military members is a difficult thing to take. But the cost is worth the effort to make the world safer.
Again, seniors have seen it all before. The days of American “forever wars” appear to be over. Technology and steady leadership pave a path for good outcomes without long-term commitments. Oil prices have already started coming down. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
Here’s speculating most voters won’t think about Iran that much come November. And for those who do, it will be a positive memory.
President Trump’s political sense suggests he knows what he’s doing and will be in the best possible position to influence different voter blocs when the time comes to campaign later this year. By then, voters will have tired of the Democrats’ gripes and groundless protests. Patience is demanded. Intuition – and history – says Republicans will be fine.
Jeff Rendall is editor and publisher of GolfintheUSA.com and has written about golf and politics for over a quarter of a century. A non-practicing attorney from California, he moved to the east coast three decades ago to pursue and combine his interests in all things American history and culture. Jeff has worked as an intern on Capitol Hill and in various capacities in grassroots organizing and conservative organizations and publications, including a nearly two-decade stint at ConservativeHQ.com. Column republishing or other inquiries: Rendall@msn.com .