Ask a Republican in Washington behind closed doors(私下地、秘密地) what Donald Trump’s midterm strategy is and they will probably give you a shrug(耸肩（表示不知道或无所谓）). “When I hear it I’ll let you know, but there doesn’t appear to be one,” a prominent party strategist told your correspondent. In the midst of a hugely unpopular war abroad and soaring grocery and petrol prices at home, Republicans have no positive message to take on the road as the summer campaign season heats up. Nor have they settled on how to attack the Democrats.
在华盛顿私下问一位共和党人特朗普的中期选举策略是什么，他们很可能会耸耸肩。“等我听说了就告诉你，但似乎根本不存在什么策略，”一位知名党派策略师告诉本刊记者。在国外一场极不得人心的战争和国内食品与汽油价格飙升的背景下，随着夏季竞选季升温，共和党人没有积极的信息可以展示，也没有确定如何攻击民主党。
To faraway observers in America’s heartland(核心地区、腹地), the White House appears to be focused instead on two things: bullying state lawmakers into redrawing maps that are more favourable to Republicans, and going after unlucky incumbents. The first is working and could give the party a boost in November. The second, even if it succeeds, will not help them hold Congress.
对美国腹地的遥远观察者来说，白宫似乎只关注两件事：威逼州立法者重新绘制对共和党更有利的选区地图，以及追击不走运的现任议员。前者正在奏效，可能在11月给共和党带来提振。但后者即使成功，也无助于他们保住国会。
Bill Cassidy, a senator from Louisiana, and Thomas Massie, a congressman from Kentucky, could hardly be more different—one is an old-school(老派的、传统的) institutionalist, the other an anti-establishment populist. Yet on May 16th and 19th respectively, they each face the toughest primary fights of their careers in some of America’s most Republican states. The offence that brought them both here is crossing Mr Trump, who even as his approval ratings collapse into the mid-30s remains fixated on what he does best: exacting revenge(进行复仇).
路易斯安那州参议员比尔·卡西迪和肯塔基州众议员托马斯·马西几乎截然相反——一个是传统体制派，另一个是反建制民粹主义者。然而，在5月16日和19日，他们各自在美国最支持共和党的州面临职业生涯中最激烈的初选之战。将他们置于此困境的罪行是违抗特朗普，后者即便支持率跌至30%出头，仍专注于他最擅长的事：复仇。
Huddled Massie, yearning to breathe free
拥挤的马西，渴望自由呼吸