Fox News predicts Democrats will retake the House as top Republicans privately concede the majority is already lost

Senior Republicans on Capitol Hill are anonymously admitting defeat ahead of the 3 November midterms, with five lawmakers reportedly shifting their focus from winning to damage limitation. One warned that 'President Trump has made this election all about himself — now we have to survive that political storm.' Fox News has joined other major forecasters in projecting Democrats will win at least 219 House seats, enough for a majority. Trump is campaigning on record-low approval ratings of just 32%, battered by an unpopular Iran war and soaring living costs.

Fox News analyst Brit Hume warned Republicans on air of a potential 'washout', comparing Trump's position to Bill Clinton's disastrous 1994 midterm campaign.

Republicans are pulling funding from key battleground races, with the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC cancelling spending in seats it had previously defended.

Trump has resorted to promising Americans $5,000 cheques if Republicans hold Congress — a move critics are calling an outright bribe.