Republicans facing a tough midterm map have discovered a new campaign message: working across the aisle. A new POLITICO poll released October 22 shows 66% of Republican voters want a Democratic-controlled House to find common ground with President Donald Trump and pass legislation next year, if Democrats flip the chamber in November.
The shift is showing up on the airwaves, including in Iowa. Rep. Zach Nunn, who represents Iowa's 3rd Congressional District, tells voters in a campaign ad that he is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, according to POLITICO.
GOP campaigns run record number of bipartisanship ads
Across all House and Senate races, Republican candidates and outside groups backing them have run nearly 200 ads this cycle that mention bipartisanship, working across the aisle, or both sides, according to a POLITICO analysis of AdImpact data. That is up more than 60% from 2024.
The change from the last cycle is striking. In 2024, GOP candidates and groups ran more than 90 ads promising to stop Biden or stop Democrats. That rhetoric has all but disappeared from Republican advertising now.
Nunn is not alone in the pivot. Michigan GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers says in an ad he will bring both parties together to lower prices. Arkansas Rep. French Hill is touting that a housing law he backed passed with bipartisan support.
Democratic voters want resistance, not compromise
Republicans may be ready to deal, but Democratic voters are not buying the message of unity. Nearly the same percentage of Democratic voters polled by POLITICO said they want their party to block Trump and GOP proposals they disagree with, even if that means fewer bills become law.
The divide runs deepest on the left flank of the party. Seventy-one percent of progressive voters prefer obstruction over finding common ground, compared with 57% of moderates, the poll found. Progressives were also more likely to say Democrats' top priority, if they retake the House, should be doing everything possible to block the Republican agenda.
Affordability is the one area where Democrats would deal
There is one exception to the Democratic resistance: the cost of living. Fifty-seven percent of Democratic midterm voters said they would prefer their party do whatever it takes to pass legislation lowering the cost of living, even if it hands the GOP a win, according to the poll. That includes 56% of progressive voters and 58% of moderates.
That finding tracks with the Republican campaign message. Nunn, Rogers and Hill all frame their bipartisan credentials around kitchen-table issues like prices and housing, not process fights.
It remains unclear whether Republicans elected in November could actually collaborate with the different factions of the Democratic Party, some of which are more willing than others to reach across the aisle.
Bipartisan dealmaking is already happening in Washington
The campaign messaging reflects real cross-party activity already underway in the capital. Top Republicans and Democrats alike lined up earlier this month to condemn President Trump's decision to waive recent sanctions on Russia, calling it irresponsible and a deal with the devil, Axios reported.
On defense spending, a growing chorus of House Republicans is warning Trump that they are ready to block additional Pentagon funding unless the administration gets tougher with Russia, as The Hill reported. The administration, behind Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is pushing Republicans on Capitol Hill to approve at least $350 billion in new military spending as part of a partisan reconciliation package.
Even on the Iran war, some Democrats see an opening that would require Republican votes. Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said he is open to using the NDAA or appropriations bills to end the war, though he doubts there is sufficient Republican support to override an inevitable veto, according to The Intercept.
What the poll means for Iowa voters
For Iowans, the numbers point to a straightforward choice in November. Nunn's district is among the most competitive in the country, and his bipartisan pitch is aimed squarely at independent and moderate voters who decide races in the 3rd District.
The poll suggests those voters may be receptive. While progressive voters want confrontation, moderates in both parties show more appetite for legislation that gets results, especially on prices, housing and energy costs.
Democrats are also preparing for oversight fights
If Democrats take back power, compromise on legislation may take a back seat to investigations. Democrats who would lead the committees overseeing the Treasury Department and IRS are preparing to investigate Trump's alleged self-enrichment schemes and efforts to dismantle regulatory agencies, according to people with direct knowledge of the plans who were granted anonymity to describe them.
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on Senate Finance, is also releasing a report of IRS data showing $2.5 billion in direct payments made in the first two years of the Democrats' 2022 climate law. Wyden said he would revive solar and wind tax credits and boost the Direct Pay Program if given the chance to chair the panel again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the POLITICO poll find about Republican voters?
The poll found that 66% of Republican voters want a Democratic House to find common ground with President Trump to pass legislation next year, assuming Democrats flip the chamber in November.
How many bipartisan ads have Republicans run in 2026?
Republicans have run nearly 200 ads mentioning bipartisanship or working across the aisle, up more than 60% from 2024, according to a POLITICO analysis of AdImpact data.
What is Zach Nunn's bipartisan message in his campaign ads?
Nunn tells voters in an ad that he is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress.
Where do Democratic voters want compromise?
Fifty-seven percent of Democratic midterm voters said they want their party to pass legislation lowering the cost of living even if it gives Republicans a win.