Matt Schlapp, chair of the Conservative Political Action Conference, downplayed Tuesday’s Republican election losses in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, telling Newsmax that although the results are disappointing, they will not derail the party’s prospects for 2026 or slow President Donald Trump’s momentum in the White House.
Schlapp told “Greg Kelly Reports” that the results reflected a familiar political pattern rather than a deeper problem for Republicans. He was speaking from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, where the CPAC Circle Retreat and Gala kicked off Tuesday and runs through Thursday.
“I think everyone needs to take a chill pill,” Schlapp said. “My parents were born and bred in New York … and this is a terrible night for the future of New York. And I can’t sugarcoat that. But we shouldn’t be surprised after Donald Trump’s amazing victory [last year].”
Schlapp argued that the Democrat gains were “countercyclical” — a natural reaction that often occurs after a Republican wins the presidency.
“When President Trump had his big victory, it makes it very hard to win in these states. Always,” he said. “Democrats tend to pick up these seats when Republicans win the White House.”
He also pointed to Trump’s ongoing fights with Washington’s entrenched bureaucracy as another reason for GOP headwinds in states like Virginia, where Democrats reclaimed control of governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.
“It’s very hard when Donald Trump is the president taking on the swamp, which needs to be taken on and drained and DOGE’d,” Schlapp said, invoking Trump’s signature pledge to reform Washington. “It makes Virginia a very tough state for Republicans to hold. And the last time we won it, there was obviously a Democrat in the White House.”
Despite the setbacks, Schlapp insisted that the results carry no long-term significance for the GOP’s national standing.
“Everyone should take a chill pill,” he reiterated. “Not a great night. But this will have no impact on the midterms. This has no impact on Donald Trump’s momentum in the White House. It’s just a bad night for Republicans in tough states.”
Political observers said off-year elections serve as an early test of voter sentiment ahead of the 2026 midterms, but Schlapp’s comments underscore the confidence among Trump allies that the president’s influence remains undiminished.
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