Donald Trump is in a “real fragile state, narcissism-wise,” according to Salon's Amanda Marcotte, as Republicans leak concerns that his rallies are damaging their candidates.

Marcotte made the remarks on The New Republic's “Daily Blast” podcast, hosted by Greg Sargent, one day before the midterm elections, which fall halfway through a presidential term and decide every House seat and roughly one-third of the Senate. The discussion centered on Trump's furious exchange with a reporter who asked why he had canceled his final red-state rallies — including a stop in Kansas — and whether he was feeling well.

Trump lashed out. “I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell,” he told the reporter, before bringing back the rallies.

Sargent argued the outburst was telling, saying that any suggestion Trump was pulling back because his power is fading threatens the mystique his movement is built on.

Marcotte agreed, saying Trump cannot tolerate being seen as weak, tired or unpopular. She pointed to a recent New York Times report on how Trump has shut out anyone bringing him bad news, leaving him with a small circle — including aide Natalie Harp — assuring him he is wildly popular.

According to the Times, Republicans in several states have struggled to get word to the White House that they would rather Trump stay away, because his unpopular policies and tanking approval ratings are costing them ground with swing voters.

Marcotte said his rally appearances have dragged down candidates in the polls, yet they still will not turn him down, even as he mocks them onstage in their own states. She cited Trump calling Texas Republican Ken Paxton ugly, and making fun of Ohio Sen. Jon Husted while the two stood by and smiled.

Sargent observed that Trump stays angry until a crowd starts cheering.

Marcotte summed up her view of Trump's declining popularity, pointing to lame-duck dynamics — under the 22nd Amendment, presidents are barred from seeking a third term: “I think that maybe some, but I also get the strong sense that because he's a lame duck, a lot of the people that have been like riding for him hard for the past decade are starting to slowly peel off and go away. I mean, his rallies have gotten a lot smaller.”

Politico recently spoke with more than a dozen Republican lawmakers, many of whom said Trump's days of dictating outcomes with Truth Social posts and late-night phone calls could be ending. One senior Republican warned it “could be quite a brutal evening” on Tuesday.

Sargent said he could not remember Republicans leaking like this so close to an election — the kind of internal grievance that campaigns typically keep behind closed doors — though he warned that the Senate races could still go either way.

Some Republicans are already bracing for Trump to blame them. One lawmaker told Politico that nobody expects Trump to accept responsibility for a loss. Marcotte said his rally speeches and Truth Social posts are already fixated on finding someone else to blame, including Fox News. With voting underway Tuesday, attention now turns to the results — including the Senate contests Sargent said could still go either way — and to how Trump and the lawmakers privately bracing for blame respond once the votes are counted.

Original reporting via Alternet.