President Donald Trump spent the final weeks of the 2026 midterm elections offering unconventional praise for the physical features of Republican candidates, a closing strategy that failed to prevent widespread party losses at the ballot box.
Despite Donald Trump spending the last few weeks touting the good looks of Republican midterm candidates, praising asses, shoulders and jawlines, almost all of his roster of handsome and beautiful men lost their elections on Tuesday, according to The Guardian, according to Theguardian.
Jon Husted and the Ohio Senate Defeat
Among the candidates receiving specific physical commentary was Ohio Senator Jon Husted. During an October 12 rally in Youngstown, Ohio, the president drew attention to Husted’s former college football career and athletic physique, according to Yahoo.
I started examining his body, because I didn’t know he was a great athlete.
Donald Trump, President
Trump added at a later rally, I examined his ass,
and remarked that patting Husted on the shoulder was like a piece of steel. I’m still recovering,
as detailed by The Irish Times. Husted had taken over the Senate seat in January 2025 after JD Vance became vice president. Despite a short-term polling lift and increased enthusiasm among supporters following Trump’s visit, Husted ultimately lost his Senate seat to Democrat Sherrod Brown by five points in a state Trump had carried by 11 points in 2024, as reported by The Guardian and Yahoo.
During the campaign, Husted also faced questions regarding his ties to wealthy tech executives. Shaunna Thomas, executive director of Guardrails Alliance, noted voter frustration with politicians aligning with artificial intelligence industry interests, stating, There is nothing less popular right now than selling out your community to the AI oligarchs,
according to Yahoo.
Midterm Results Across Georgia and Kentucky
In Georgia, Trump campaigned for Senate candidate Mike Collins, describing him as a good-looking man and all man,
according to The Guardian. Collins subsequently lost to Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff by 18 points. Rick Jackson, a 72-year-old candidate favored in the Georgia governor’s race, was similarly praised by Trump as a very handsome, distinguished, beautiful-looking guy,
but lost to Keisha Lance Bottoms by about 8.5 points, allowing Bottoms to become Georgia’s first Democratic governor since 2003, as noted by The Guardian.
President Trump on Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), lead author of GENIUS Act: "He's a great guy. A very handsome guy, looks great. The whole package."
Some candidates backed by the administration fared better. Ed Gallrein, a 68-year-old farmer and former Navy SEAL officer picked by Trump to run against Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, was described by the president as a perfect man
and a beautiful guy,
according to The Guardian and Advocate. Gallrein won his congressional district in Kentucky 54% to 40%, though by a narrower margin than Trump’s 2024 performance in the state. In Tennessee, Republican Bill Hagerty retained his Senate seat, though also by about half the margin of his 2020 victory, as reported by The Guardian.
Cable Hosts Mock Closing Message and Fitness Routines
The closing message drew sharp notice from television commentators. CNN host Anderson Cooper dubbed Trump the assman-in-chief
while broadcasting clips of the remarks, pointing out the administration’s ongoing affinity for playing the song YMCA at events, as detailed by The Guardian.
Other members of the administration also attracted commentary for physical descriptions and fitness routines. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, singled out by Trump to the New York Post as a good-looking member of his administration, previously outlined strict physical presentations for military members, stating, No fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps,
and later announced a screening program for testosterone deficiency,
according to The Irish Times. Additionally, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was featured in a workout video earlier in the year alongside musician Kid Rock, and was later praised by Trump for having the body of a 30-year-old,
as reported by The Irish Times and Advocate.
