Inside the Belly of The Beast: My experience working in a MAGA Republican Congressional Office During the Midterms

I am a Congressional Intern and the perspectives shared here do not reflect the views of my office or the Member of Congress that employs me.

For the past 2 months I have spent my time becoming acquainted with two foreign environments: the grand city of Washington, D.C. and the politics of a deep red Republican office. I will preface this by saying that I work in a MAGA Republican’s office not because I love his politics and agree with his platform, but because I wanted an experience on the hill and this is where my connections led me. (Don’t tell my boss that I don’t align with him politically). At the same time, I don’t write this piece to bolster Wesleyan readers’ likely negative opinions of the Republican party, but rather to give insight into some of the conversations that I’ve had the unique opportunity to listen to and participate in. This is not a Republican autopsy for the slaughter of MAGA in the 2026 midterm elections, but simply a conversation about what I saw on the Hill.

First off, preparations for the Republicans to lose the House started months ago. While President Trump and party leaders like Mike Johnson have been signaling public optimism for the House and the Senate, staffers behind the scenes began creating a plan for their boss’ strategy in a Democratic Congress, or even their next job, way back in the summer months.  It became abundantly clear to those behind the scenes that these elections were no different than midterms past: a referendum on the President’s party.  But 2026 was a unique referendum. Republicans controlled it all. From the White House to both chambers of Congress, and arguably the Supreme Court, Republicans were given the keys to the castle, and these midterms were their performance review conducted by the American electorate. How do Republican staffers feel about what they have accomplished? Depends on who you listen to. How do the American people feel about what the Republican-led government has accomplished? I think the blue wave showed you.

From the Republican perspective, it’s not all grim. While the GOP-aligned committee staff along with outgoing members’ staff will be dismissed from their roles, those that do stay in personal offices or committee staff while in the minority are about to have a blast—or at least that’s the way senior staff members for my Congressman view it. 

Being in the minority leaves members and their staff in a fun position: defense. Over the last two years, the hard work of writing legislation, controlling the agenda, and setting the pace for a GOP-controlled federal government has become exhausting work for many staffers and members (don’t tell them that their contributions amounted to one of the most unproductive Congresses in US history).  Now that the reins of power have been turned to the Democrats with a lame duck president, many (especially those working in GOP communications roles) are ecstatic to put their feet up while pointing fingers and making memes about “the dems” for the next 2 years. I will let you interpret if this is how you want the staff behind our elected officials to think about their role, but some people are about to enjoy their job a lot more.

Regardless of someone’s political views or affiliations, it is never great to see someone lose their job. There are many wonderful and talented people who lost their jobs when their boss lost their race on Tuesday. While their Congressman/woman will head right through the K Street revolving door or take on a lucrative role in finance, law, or political strategy, their employees are left out to dry for the most part.  

On Tuesday night during a watch party with other Republican staffers, I watched as several talented young Republicans sat with eyes glued to their phones, not to see if Texas would go blue or if Collins would lose her seat in Maine, but rather to see if Iowa Incumbent Zach Nunn, Gabe Evans in Colorado, or Eli Crane from Arizona would win their races so that they’d have secure employment after the holidays. These are the stories that are not covered.  

So where do they go? The executive branch is always looking to hire despite the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) layoffs, but that might be one of the few places of refuge. It is very common for young staffers “to do their time” on the Hill before moving to private sector employment like lobbying, but do those companies want lobbyists whose connections largely lie in a minority that might last multiple cycles? With the massive blue wave and Democrats in near total control of the legislative agenda, lobbying firms might be less worried about appeasing the Republican minority. In turn, former Republican staffers might largely be shut out of private sector opportunities. Of course, the American people chose the party that they believe best represents their interests, but these staffers bear the consequences of an unpopular President whose actions are far outside of their, or even their boss’ control. 

If you have taken an American government course at the University, you might have read a piece titled “Congress: The Electoral Connection” by David Mayhew. His overall thesis is correct: the main goal of a member of Congress is to be re-elected. I have seen this play out in person and even before I arrived on the Hill.  

Congressmen have to answer to many different stakeholders, but don’t let anyone tell you that the average constituent is who they serve. Rather, there are two big bosses: donors and their party. Both keep the member afloat financially by contributing to their campaign, and if you step on any toes in the process of advocating for your constituents, you’re at risk of losing it all. A common conversation I hear in the office during votes is “Hey sir (Congressman), do you know how you would like to vote on this?” to which he normally responds with “What does leadership think?” While he is able to think for himself, he also knows how to play the game and keep his job. Just ask John Cornyn, Bill Cassidy or Thomas Massie (who all lost in Republican primary elections this summer to challengers backed by President Trump and Republican PAC funding) if not answering to the right people cost them their job.  

Call it self interest or self preservation, but don’t call it stupidity when a Republican in a red district or state does not fight back against the same machine that got them their job in the first place. And don’t be naïve enough to think Republicans are unique here: the money flows both ways and through both parties. If you are in a safe seat and want any position of power such as party leadership or committee chair, you better kick back up some of those excess campaign funds to the big boys. If not, you’re on the list of members who might be targeted in the next cycle. Texas Republican Brandon Gill and Wesleyan’s own Representative Democrat Rosa DeLauro are perfect examples of this.

On a more positive note, the vacated offices will be filled with new Democratic members and their young staff, who will bring energy and vigor to reverse the damages of the Trump administration. Still, just how effective they will be is an open question. I hope that it will be answered in the next year before we get distracted again by the 2028 presidential election. I can at least tell you that the Republican staffers in my office would enjoy seeing the “Lawyer Up” campaign come to fruition to push back on the illegal actions of the current executive. Believe it or not, despite their party affiliation, they acknowledge the many points of corruption in the Trump Administration behind closed doors. Their silence is a calculation, balancing their aspirations for upward mobility on the Hill, their fear of reprisal from party leadership or worse, Trump, and their genuine legislative priorities from which speaking out would distract. 

A question that still remains unanswered for me after Tuesday’s election is if staffers’allegiance is more because of ideology or competitive spirit.  Obviously, staffers have their own motivations for cheering for their boss or their party. The election results dictate if they have a job or not, and the lucky ones are worried about what their job will look like for the next 2 years. But I wonder if people in Republican offices like mine are upset because their ideologies align with the Republican party (whatever that ideology is and if it is consistent with the whims of the Trump admin is beyond me) that just got smoked or if it is like cheering for their favorite sports teams?  I am sure it is a mix, but how much of it is that they don’t want to be a part of a losing team, how much of it is that they don’t want to lose their job, and how much of it is the sincere belief that their party could actually do better than the Democrats for their constituents and the American people? I hate to simplify it so heavily, but is our politics truly a belief in policy or just a clash of identities, allegiances, and commitments?  I guess I have something to try and answer before the end of my time here.

The final thing to watch out for in conservative media, if you’re not already tapped in, is the response to the loss. Conversations in my office on Wednesday morning already hinted at a possible excuse for sore loser Republicans, and it’s one we’re very familiar with: questioning election integrity. We have already seen the Trump administration and the DOJ try to question Alaska ballot tactics and voter fraud in California to no avail. In no way are people on the Hill expecting January 6 level backlash, especially as President Trump has already conceded this time, but the belief in voter fraud is real. The level of the fraud is very much debatable, but be on the lookout for small stories exposing suspect ballots to see if they continue to undermine election integrity, or if they stay in conservative media. Given how close the Mississippi Senate race is, and the double Dan “coincidence” in Alaska, it will most definitely be a talking point. The size of the blue wave is so substantial that election tampering or fraud can not possibly be to blame for the red wipeout, but it will be interesting to see how much traction these stories get.

My hope is that my reflection from being on the inside in a Republican office can give you a different perspective on the Midterm elections as races continue to be called.