MAHA Coalition Splits With Trump After Democratic Midterm Gains

President Donald Trump's failure to deliver on health policy commitments has intensified divisions within the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) coalition, as Democratic candidates secured major victories in the November 2026 midterm elections. Activists associated with the movement say dissatisfaction over pesticide regulation, vaccines, and food policy contributed to Republican losses across several states.

According to TIME, Democrats gained control of both the House and Senate, winning contests in traditionally Republican states, including Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina. However, the precise influence of dissatisfied MAHA voters on individual election outcomes remains uncertain.

The movement, led politically by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., helped strengthen Trump's coalition during the 2024 presidential campaign. Kennedy's endorsement brought health-focused activists into the Republican political alliance, but disagreements over the administration's priorities have increasingly strained that relationship.

Zen Honeycutt, founder and executive director of Moms Across America, said some supporters chose Democratic candidates or abstained from voting because they believed the administration had abandoned its commitments.

"A lot of people had said they weren’t going to vote, and by not voting, they handed the win to the Democrats. That’s what happens when you don’t fulfill your promises to the American people. They won’t show up for you." Honeycutt said.

Honeycutt's organization endorsed 10 Democratic candidates, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Rep.

Chris Pappas, who won a competitive Senate race in New Hampshire. Nine of those 10 candidates won. The organization also supported dozens of Republican and independent candidates.

Honeycutt said pesticide regulation and childhood health issues were among the commitments that initially attracted supporters to Trump and Kennedy.

"Trump promised [on the campaign trail] to go after pesticides, autism, childhood chronic illness. He shook Bobby Kennedy’s hand and promised to let him go wild. He did not fulfill that promise.

He did not do anything substantial about pesticides. In fact, he made it worse." Honeycutt said.

She specifically criticized an executive order Trump signed in February prioritizing domestic glyphosate production. Some research has linked the weedkiller to cancer, while MAHA activists have advocated restrictions on its use.

"I was disgusted" Honeycutt said, describing the executive order as evidence of corporate influence over federal policy.

She also pointed to five pesticide ingredients approved by the Environmental Protection Agency since Trump took office. Environmental groups identify the substances as PFAS, chemicals commonly known as forever chemicals. Honeycutt further criticized Republican lawmakers who supported pesticide manufacturers' liability protections in the Farm Bill.

Those protections were ultimately removed following support from Democrats and MAHA supporters. Honeycutt described Republicans as "beholden to chemical companies."

David Murphy, a former fundraiser for Kennedy's presidential campaign and founder of United We Eat, also attributed Republican setbacks to dissatisfaction among health-focused voters.

"I think Republicans lost because they listened to the lobbying wing of their party instead of their base," Murphy said, referring to voters concerned about pesticides and other health issues.

Murphy helped develop a MAHA scorecard examining 42 commitments made by the Trump administration. According to the assessment, the administration had fulfilled none completely, partially delivered on five, including measures involving food dyes, and failed to meet 37.

"The MAHA coalition was instrumental in helping Trump win based on very specific promises he made to Kennedy…but he has failed to follow through. MAHA voters are upset across the country." Murphy said.

Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, cautioned that available voting information does not establish how many election outcomes were determined by MAHA supporters. Nevertheless, he said even a portion of the coalition could have influenced closely contested races.

"have made a decisive difference." Lurie said, describing the potential electoral influence of MAHA voters.

A KFF poll conducted in May found that 41% of U.S. adults supported the MAHA movement. An October survey also showed Kennedy receiving more favorable public assessments than several prominent political figures, including Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

However, public support for Kennedy's broader health agenda has not necessarily translated into agreement with his vaccine policies. TIME reported that most surveyed Americans disapproved of the administration's handling of vaccines, while childhood immunization continued to receive overwhelming support across political affiliations.

The coalition's internal tensions also became visible before the elections. Calley Means, a senior Kennedy aide, resigned from the Trump administration on October 22. His departure reportedly involved frustration over insufficient progress on MAHA priorities, including efforts addressing ultraprocessed foods.

Lurie said the movement's disagreements reflect a fundamental conflict between its health and environmental objectives and the administration's business-friendly approach.

"It never made sense to expect that this Administration, with its antiregulatory and pro-business position, would have been able to execute on a platform that included restrictions of dangerous chemicals and pollutants. Why anybody expected that" Lurie said.

Meanwhile, Kennedy and the MAHA movement retain national political influence despite growing disagreements with Trump's administration.