Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Tuesday that he's afraid that Democrats could have "a wave election" in 2018.
"They absolutely should worry about 2018," Fleischer, who served as press secretary to President George W. Bush, told Politico.
"I do fear a wave election. Democrats are highly motivated to vote against [Donald ]Trump and all Republicans. Trump has got to grow beyond the base, and he has got to make himself less hated among a group in the middle."
Fleischer was reiterating a point he's made many times in the past few weeks.
Gillespie, a Republican who had been endorsed by President Donald Trump, lost by 9 points in November. Republican Roy Moore, who defeated the GOP incumbent in a primary challenge, lost to Democrat Doug Jones in Alabama.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.