This story was originally published on nationaljournal.com on October 24, 2016 For several weeks many Republican candidates and operatives have been fretting that Donald Trump’s misbegotten candidacy could cause the bottom to fall out for GOP candidates in Senate, House, gubernatorial, state legislative, and other down-ballot races. While their concerns were legitimate, it seemed too soon for the GOP to panic. After all, the Donald Trump brand and the Republican Party brand were certainly not one and the same. Hillary Clinton’s negatives were so high that a landslide seemed unlikely. And in quite a few races the Democratic candidates for some of these offices were not exactly of top shelf. So while panic should not be the GOP’s attitude right now, extreme worry seems appropriate. The bottom has not fallen out for candidates down the ballot, but many Republican candidates are seeing their numbers turn to purple or even blue. One veteran Republican pollster said privately on Monday morning that he felt “sick to his stomach.” In some cases, candidates are weighed down by their association with Trump. In other
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