Bill O'Reilly believes the Republican Party is overlooking the issues voters care about most as it campaigns to hold onto its slim control of Congress.

Appearing on NewsNation, the former Fox News host warned that the GOP risks losing its congressional majority because it has failed to offer a convincing answer to affordability concerns. “The Republicans are so blanking dumb, they can't put it together, and therefore they may very well lose,” O'Reilly said, in a clip shared by Mediaite.

His remarks came during a discussion of the upcoming midterm elections on November 3 with host Leland Vittert. Midterms fall at the midpoint of a presidential term, and this year's vote will determine the balance of power in Congress. O'Reilly said Republicans are under pressure from voters who continue to complain about the rising cost of groceries, housing and other everyday expenses.

While sharply critical of Republicans, O'Reilly did not spare the Democrats either, arguing that they have offered no solutions of their own. In his view, the Democratic platform fails to explain how it would bring prices down.

Because the GOP currently controls Washington, O'Reilly argued, Republicans are in a more vulnerable position if voters remain dissatisfied with their finances. That vulnerability fits a long-running pattern in American politics: the party holding the presidency has tended to lose congressional seats in midterm elections. He accused both parties of relying on “gimmicks” rather than concrete plans to make life less expensive, and noted that President Trump has engaged in this kind of politics himself.

With Election Day less than a month away, O'Reilly warned the approach could prove costly. Republicans are fighting to preserve their narrow majorities in Congress, while Democrats have been performing strongly in national generic-ballot polling, a standard survey measure of which party voters favor for Congress. In several states that typically favor the Republican Party, races have tightened more than the party would like.

Responding to that climate, Trump has entered the midterm campaign, visiting states including Alabama, Ohio and Nebraska in an effort to rally Republican voters.

O'Reilly noted that the economic issues he raised have been troubling the president for months. Although official figures show the economy is growing, many people do not feel that improvement in daily life — whether paying rent, filling their gas tanks or shopping for groceries.

As a result, Republicans are trying to persuade voters that conditions are getting better, even as many still feel financially squeezed. O'Reilly's warning carried particular weight because he has long criticized Democratic economic policies and supported many of Trump's positions. This time, however, his frustration was directed at the Republican Party.

He emphasized that while Republicans could spend the final weeks of the campaign attacking the Democrats, they need to demonstrate to voters how they plan to reduce prices. Otherwise, he said, they may face a self-inflicted defeat. The outcome on November 3 will determine which party controls Congress for the remainder of President Trump's term.