Enten Says Trump’s Rally Clips Leave Out Wider Election Picture

Trump has played clips of CNN data analyst Harry Enten at least 16 times during his October campaign rallies, highlighting survey findings about the president’s standing with Republicans who identify as MAGA. Enten said on October 30 that those figures are only one part of the political picture as the midterms approach.

The clips include Enten discussing Trump’s support among MAGA Republicans, the group’s backing for Republican House candidates, and Trump’s standing among Republicans compared with former presidents Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln. Trump has told rally audiences the results are notable because they came from CNN, and has thanked the network after the videos.

Enten said Trump remains strong among MAGA Republicans, though his support in that group has slipped somewhat. He also said polling suggests a sizable minority of Republicans do not identify as MAGA, and Trump is underwater with some of those voters.

Enten pointed to additional challenges for Republicans: Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is winning substantial support from non-MAGA Republicans in Texas, and independents favor Democratic congressional candidates. Enten said Trump’s standing with independents going into a midterm is exceptionally weak, while Democrats could achieve their strongest margin with independents in nearly 50 years of congressional exit polls.

Enten said his MAGA-focused segments help explain part of the story, but do not represent all of his election analysis.

Trump’s Rally Clips Hide the Wider Warning in Enten’s Data

Trump is using CNN analyst Harry Enten’s favorable numbers on MAGA Republicans as a rally prop, but those clips leave out the polling that points to trouble for Republicans beyond the president’s core supporters.

At least 16 times this month, Trump has played Enten’s comments about MAGA support for him and Republican House candidates, as well as his standing among Republicans against Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln. Enten said on October 30 that MAGA Republicans are only part of the electorate, and that his short clips do not convey his full analysis.

The broader indicators Enten described are unfavorable to the GOP. Some polls show Trump underwater with Republicans who do not identify as MAGA. In Texas, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is drawing substantial support from that group. Independents, too, are backing Democratic congressional candidates, and Enten said Trump’s standing with them before a midterm is exceptionally poor.

Enten said Democrats could record their strongest congressional-election margin among independents in nearly 50 years of exit polls. Trump’s selective use of the data spotlights loyalty among his base while sidestepping the voters who could determine the midterms.

MAGA Support Is Real, Even as Enten Stresses GOP Risks

The numbers Trump plays at rallies describe a real source of Republican strength: his continued popularity among voters who identify as MAGA. CNN analyst Harry Enten said on October 30 that the clips cover only one segment of his analysis, not that their findings are false.

Trump has used the videos at least 16 times this month. They feature Enten discussing Trump’s support among MAGA Republicans, their backing for Republican House candidates, and his standing among Republicans compared with Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln. Trump has presented the CNN findings as notable precisely because they come from a network he often criticizes.

Enten also emphasized headwinds for Republicans, including Trump’s weaker standing among non-MAGA Republicans and independents. He said some polls show Trump underwater with non-MAGA Republicans, while Texas Democrat James Talarico is attracting substantial support from that group. He pointed as well to independent voters’ preference for Democratic congressional candidates.

Those broader concerns matter, but they do not erase the strength shown among MAGA Republicans. Enten said that group is only one portion of the electorate, and that his full body of work includes a wider range of political measures.