During a segment on MS NOW’s “The Last Word” aired on Tuesday, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) expressed her belief that the Republican Party recognized that maintaining their majority in the House of Representatives required underhanded tactics. She claimed this led them to target seats in states like Texas, attributing this strategy to initiatives started by the president.

Lawrence O’Donnell, the host, inquired about Spanberger’s perspective on a hypothetical scenario where Republicans might collaborate with Donald Trump to boost their numbers in the House, thereby securing their grip for another two years. He pointed out her recent transition from serving in the House to her current role as governor.

Spanberger responded by emphasizing her view that Republicans were acutely aware that retaining their slim majority demanded questionable methods, such as seeking to gain seats in Texas. She argued this was why the president initiated such efforts, anticipating that his leadership missteps, including foreign policy blunders and economic issues like soaring gas prices, would once again spark a Democratic surge in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, reminiscent of the 2018 midterms when she first entered Congress.