Trump's grip on his party is in question as Republicans reel from the midterm wipeout

Republicans are grappling with fallout from a midterm wipeout that left their ranks thinnest in decades, and questions are mounting about how far the party should follow Donald Trump. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the elections an “extinction-level event,” while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz compared them to “Watergate-level” rejection; former Vice President Mike Pence called it a “reckoning.” Some argue for returning to Reagan-era fiscal and national security conservatism, but others warn that doubling down on Trump’s style could trigger more electoral losses. The article focuses on Trump’s role: he intervened in primaries, held rallies, and then refused to take responsibility, blaming candidates after Tuesday’s election. On Friday, Trump elevated Stephen Miller to White House chief of staff. Opinions diverged on whether Trump can steer issues like immigration or whether, as some critics say, “the Trump era” has ended.