Republican strategist Doug Hye warned that President Donald Trump could undermine the campaigns of Republican candidates who are not sufficiently loyal to him.

Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fl.), who represents a Miami-area district with a heavily Hispanic electorate, recently provided an example, recording a direct-to-camera campaign ad while in Washington and pleading with Trump to stop listening to his advisers on immigration. The appeal followed an analysis by CNN data analyst Harry Enten documenting a steep loss of support for Trump among Latino voters who backed him in 2024. At that time, Trump led his Democratic opponent among those voters by 18 points; that margin has since fallen by more than 40 points.

"Well, I think it all comes down to information; both empirical and anecdotal," Hye said. "Empirical: you're seeing all kinds of polling data. And just as the numbers that Harry pointed out, Donald Trump's numbers are underwater on pretty much every issue. That's especially true with Hispanic voters." In polling terms, being underwater means more voters disapprove of a leader's handling of an issue than approve.

Hye added that the pattern was particularly pronounced in Salazar's district.

"There's also the anecdotal [evidence] of what she's hearing and seeing from her voters when she's home, during recesses and so forth. Clearly, those voters are not happy with the direction of the country," he said, noting that voter discontent extended beyond immigration to the economy more broadly.

"Again, not just on immigration and ICE and so forth, but on the economy," Hye continued. Both issues were central to Trump's 2024 win.

"He was always way above water on the economy and on immigration, and he's underwater on both of those. And it's why you're seeing Republicans talking a little bit more," he said.

CNN host John Berman asked Hye what he had heard from House Republican leadership about Salazar's move. Hye replied that during the George W. Bush years, Republicans — including those inside the White House — advised GOP candidates to distance themselves from Bush if needed. That option, he suggested, may no longer exist.

"The difference between then and now — the poll numbers are sort of similar between Bush and Trump. The difference is Trump. How does Donald Trump react to this ad? How does Donald Trump react to any Republican who crosses him? And that's a real problem for these Republican candidates, as they decide what they need to do to get reelected. If they speak out against Trump, they know that Donald Trump could try and just sweep the rug out from under them."

Hye described that threat as a "real Sword of Damocles" hanging over Republican candidates — and, he added, "it's the corner that Republicans have backed themselves into." The allusion draws on a classical Greek parable of danger that hangs constantly over those in power.

He made the remarks during an appearance on CNN (segment video).