Ben Shapiro described the early results of the 2026 midterms as a Republican collapse, saying the president had effectively been on the ballot even though his name was not up for a vote. Speaking on the All-In podcast Tuesday night, Shapiro said the returns pointed to a broad Democratic wave rather than a handful of isolated races. He called the outcome a 2026 midterms Republican wipeout and warned that the pattern could spell trouble for the party in 2028.
A Referendum on the President
Shapiro said the president had framed the election as a referendum on himself and had urged supporters to treat it that way. According to Shapiro, that framing matched the results: the president was, in effect, on the ballot. He said the night was not one Republicans would want to remember, speaking during the podcast broadcast from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET before several major races had been called.
Texas and South Carolina Break Long Streaks
Shapiro pointed to Texas as a clear sign of trouble. James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton, becoming the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Texas in 38 years. In the governor’s race, Gina Hinojosa beat Greg Abbott, making her the first Democratic governor of Texas in 36 years.
Shapiro said those results alone might be explained by weak Republican candidates or strong Democratic ones, but the pattern extended beyond individual matchups. In South Carolina, Annie Andrews became the first Democrat elected to the Senate in more than 20 years and the first woman from the state elected to the Senate. Shapiro described that outcome as an empty suit winning in a state that should not have been competitive.
Florida Stays Red but Raises Alarm
Shapiro noted that Florida remained in Republican hands but only narrowly. He said Democrat Angie Nixon lost the Senate race to Republican Ashley Moody by about two points. Shapiro, who said Florida is his home state, argued that a close margin there was another warning sign for the GOP. He called Nixon a full-scale nutcase but said her near-win showed the depth of the Republican decline.
A Warning for 2028
Shapiro said there was no way to soften the outcome. He argued that the results across the map boded poorly for Republicans looking ahead to 2028. His assessment came as several races were still being counted, but he said the early tallies were enough to show the direction of the night.
