The Club for Growth is gearing up to be a decisive force in the 2026 midterms, carving a clear strategy to protect Republican gains, shore up vulnerable House seats, and push a pro-growth economic message. At its annual conference in Palm Beach, the group laid out big fundraising targets, candidate support plans, and a targeted message to make sure voters know what’s at stake. This piece walks through the club’s priorities, the money behind them, and how leaders plan to keep momentum for conservative policy.
The conference brought together donors and strategists who emphasized scale and focus over flash. Club for Growth President David McIntosh made the case that a sustained, disciplined effort can preserve the policy wins of the last year and block a return to policies they argue hurt the economy. He framed the stakes plainly with the words “what’s at stake,” driving home the political contrast they plan to highlight.
Leaders pointed to a massive financial footprint from recent cycles to justify confidence going forward. McIntosh noted the group spent more than $160 million in the last election cycle and “and won nearly 80%” of its contests, which they say validates their targeting and message. That record is being used to rally donors behind an even larger midterm plan.
The Club has announced an ambitious $175 million target for the 2026 fight and says it has already secured $65 million toward that goal. The allocation is clear: heavy investment in Senate battles, meaningful support for endangered House members, and funding for state-level fights that shape policy and maps. They describe it as a strategic mix to protect both national control and long-term governing power.
On the House front, McIntosh was blunt: “I think the House is the most vulnerable,” and he flagged a targeted effort to shore up the slim GOP majority. He explained, “I’ve got a House fund, an ambitious goal of $40 million to help our guys win,” and the club is pouring resources into districts where turnout and messaging will decide the outcome. The plan includes outreach to voters who backed President Trump but have historically been less reliable in midterms.
That turnout worry is real for Republicans, and the club wants to fix it quickly and directly. “We’ve got to get the folks who voted for President Trump,” McIntosh said. “They don’t necessarily come out in the midterms. We have to share with them what’s at stake.” The club says coordinating with top figures will be part of the push to turn out that base.
McIntosh spelled out how that coordination might look: “We’re going to work with President Trump on that so they know he wants them to vote,” he said. “He wants them to come out. He needs them so he can keep going.” The message will emphasize tax relief, school choice, and other tangible benefits Republicans claim the last year has produced.
On policy framing, the club plans a simple contrast: highlight Republican plans that cut taxes and expand economic opportunity, and warn about a return to harmful policies if Democrats regain power. “Republicans have a plan that will help make things more affordable. It will keep cutting taxes. They will see the benefits.” They will also hammer the point that reversing course would mean higher costs and fewer jobs, using plain, urgent language to motivate voters.
McIntosh laid out the broader narrative his team will carry into the fall, painting the stakes as a choice between growth and rollback. “But the bigger message is going to be, you can’t let the Democrats back in, because they’ll shut everything down,” he claimed. “It’ll be back to the Biden days, high inflation, higher taxes, fewer jobs. That’s what’s at stake, and our job is to tell the voters, we need you to vote because it makes all the difference.”
Economic optimism is a central pitch, with the club betting on tax policy to change the outlook by year’s end. McIntosh predicted “by the end of the year, we’re going to be back to a robust economy because the Trump tax cuts are going to kick in. People will keep more of their money. There’s a huge incentive for companies to build factories back here in America again, and that will kick in. People will say, ‘Yeah, I like the direction we’re going. Things are turned around. We can’t let the Democrats ruin that.’” That vision fuels both fundraising and field strategy.
The group is active in primaries as well as general elections, quietly backing candidates who align with its agenda. They recently threw weight behind a Senate hopeful in a competitive primary and supported a House challenger in Texas, among other contests. “We’re definitely going to be there in Georgia to help Mike Collins win,” McIntosh pledged, and the club has shown it will work through aligned vehicles when that helps a campaign.
On tactics, the club prefers to influence outcomes without always taking public bows. McIntosh explained he “knew if Club for Growth came in guns blazing, then the Washington money would come in to help Crenshaw.” He added, “We don’t need the glory. We don’t need to take credit for it,” and stressed that coordinated funding can let local campaigns frame voter choices without inviting a spending war. “He did the job, but we were able to bring the funds in that let the voters know what their choice was.”
