GOP Faces Senate Challenges Amid Internal Discontent

WHO:

Alternet - South Dakota Republican U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, who will leave office in January.

NY Post - Old-guard GOP stalwarts

The Nation - Republican Party strategists

WHAT:

NBC News - Seven-term Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., stated, “I can’t say that Republicans have done much about [health care]. We’ve even passed some things here, but they don’t make it anywhere in the Senate. So, you know, people want results, not talk.”

NBC News - A New York Times-Siena College poll found that likely voters preferred Democrats over Republicans on health care by 24 points.

NBC News - Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers held an event attacking Democratic rival Abdul El-Sayed’s “Medicare for All” proposal, stating, “I just can’t think of a more important issue to the people of Michigan than health care — their costs, their rising costs and how we get to the bottom of it.”

NBC News - Republican Rep. Tom Kean is running an ad lamenting that too many families “suffer because of big insurance companies,” and he touted his bill to boost Labor Department authority to enforce mental health rules for insurance plans.

NBC News - House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., vowed to restore the Medicaid and ACA funds as Democrats’ top priority if they capture House control.

NBC News - The White House’s internal polling shows that the administration’s work to lower drug prices is one of the administration’s most popular second term achievements.

Alternet - Johnson stated he believes the Republican Party is “well positioned” on national policy and is “going to get some much needed wins” by January.

Alternet - Johnson expressed concerns about voters choosing candidates based on perceived fighting rather than effectiveness, stating, “If the voters don’t start voting for thoughtful problem solvers a little more often, then I think we’re going to continue to find it hard to get things done quite as often as we should in D.C.”

NY Post - The GOP faces challenges that could cost it the Senate.

The Nation - Trump has damaged the Republican Party’s brand, leading to potential losses in races previously considered secure.

WHY:

Alternet - Johnson noted that the central problem is voters opting for “somebody they think is fighting rather than for somebody who is getting things done.”

NY Post - The old-guard GOP stalwarts have a problem with Trump's voters and their antipathy.

The Nation - Strategists are contemplating bitter fights due to the damage caused by Trump to the party's brand.

(UPDATED September 23, 2026 10:59 UTC)

In a striking admission, seven-term Representative Scott Perry from Pennsylvania acknowledged that Republicans have struggled to deliver results on health care, emphasizing that voters want tangible outcomes rather than just discussions. Meanwhile, a recent New York Times-Siena College poll revealed that likely voters favor Democrats over Republicans on health care by a significant 24 points. As the political landscape heats up, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pledged that restoring Medicaid and ACA funds would be a top priority for Democrats if they regain control of the House.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 23:59 UTC)

South Dakota Republican U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, who will leave office in January, believes the Republican Party is “well positioned” on national policy and is “going to get some much needed wins” by then. He expressed concerns that voters are choosing candidates based on their perceived fighting abilities rather than their effectiveness, warning that this trend could hinder progress in Washington. Johnson emphasized that the central issue lies in voters opting for “somebody they think is fighting rather than for somebody who is getting things done.”

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 23:00 UTC)

The Republican Party is facing significant challenges that could jeopardize its control of the Senate, as reported by the New York Post. Strategists from The Nation highlight that Trump's impact on the party's brand has created potential losses in races that were once seen as secure. Old-guard GOP stalwarts are particularly concerned about the divide between Trump's voters and traditional party members, which could lead to contentious battles ahead.