A Republican candidate who modelled his campaign on US President Donald Trump has distanced himself from the president following a crushing defeat in Maine’s gubernatorial election, saying he was optimistic about the future because Trump would be leaving office in two years.Bobby Charles, who lost to Democrat Hannah Pingree in Tuesday’s election (November 3), made the remarks in an interview with Politico after his defeat.“It sounds a little ironic,” Charles said. “But I am nevertheless optimistic for the future because Trump’s going to be gone in two years.”Charles had promised to govern Maine along the lines of Trump’s administration. At the launch of his gubernatorial campaign, he had said: “If you liked the first 90 days of Trump, if you liked the first two weeks of Trump, you would love the first few weeks of my administration, because we are going to flip this thing on its head.”The Republican had also sold Trump-inspired merchandise on his campaign website and supported the president’s tariffs and hardline immigration policies.He had actively sought Trump’s endorsement during the campaign and welcomed Vice President JD Vance’s backing, describing it as a “wonderful thing”.
Republicans blame Trump for election losses
Charles’ remarks come as Republicans face a major setback in the 2026 midterm elections, with Democrats winning control of both chambers of Congress and several gubernatorial races.The losses have triggered criticism within the Republican Party, with some officials blaming Trump and his administration for the party’s poor performance.“We are beyond candidate quality. It’s a bloodbath,” a senior Senate Republican official told Politico, adding, “Trump did this.”A Republican operative involved in swing-state campaigns also blamed the administration’s handling of key issues.“The people in the White House didn’t do anything to stop him from engaging on things that were actively making everything worse because he was ignoring what the voters were caring about,” the operative said.The criticism comes amid voter concerns over rising costs, inflation and the US conflict with Iran.
White House rejects blame
The White House, however, has refused to accept responsibility for the Republican losses.A White House official told The Daily Beast that the administration remained “defiant”, arguing that Trump was not personally on the ballot.“President Trump was not on the ballot, and it’s proven that Trump voters show up when he is on the ballot,” the official said.The official also blamed the quality of candidates and predicted that voters who supported Democrats would regret their decision once gas prices declined following a resolution to the Iran conflict.Trump himself has dismissed suggestions that his leadership contributed to the Republican setback.“I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE,” he wrote on Truth Social.Vice President JD Vande posted a detailed analysis of the defeat. “The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” he concluded.
Who is Bobby Charles?
Charles, a Republican and former assistant secretary of state under President George W. Bush, contested the Maine gubernatorial election against Democrat Hannah Pingree and independent candidate Rick Bennett.Pingree, a former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and daughter of Democratic Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, won the race.Charles had built his campaign around Trump’s political agenda, particularly immigration enforcement. He had even proposed asking the White House to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and US Marshals to Maine polling locations ahead of the midterm elections.His defeat comes as Democrats make significant gains across the country, turning the 2026 midterms into a major political setback for Trump and the Republican Party.
