Millions in secret money fueled a last-minute campaign to turn conservatives against Republican candidates | CNN Politics
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In the final weeks of the 2026 midterms, Republican candidates across the country began to face an unusual line of attack. In an election widely viewed as a referendum on the Trump administration, suddenly many of them were accused of being insufficiently conservative.
A "Vote Here" sign is seen outside of a polling station in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 3.
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In the final weeks of the 2026 midterms, Republican candidates across the country began to face an unusual line of attack. In an election widely viewed as a referendum on the Trump administration, suddenly many of them were accused of being insufficiently conservative.
A cascade of robocalls and text messages warned that Republicans on the ballot had betrayed conservative principles. Political mailers accused GOP candidates of embracing liberal policies. The messages offered a consistent alternative: little-known Libertarian or third-party candidates who were portrayed as true conservatives.
