"The impact of retaliation by China could drown out the GOP message that tax cuts are delivering prosperity, which the party is counting on to save their majorities in the House and Senate," per Bloomberg's Sahil Kapur.

The bottom line: China's threats of retaliation are scaring farmers in the GOP's rural base and across Trump country, creating a potential drag for Republicans in November's midterms.

Per Bloomberg's Josh Green:

"Trump won eight of the 10 states with the largest soybean acreage, all of them in the Midwest."

eight of the 10 states with the largest soybean acreage, all of them in the Midwest." "Many of those same states are now host to some of the country’s closest races for Senate (Missouri, Indiana, North Dakota) and governor (Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota)."

An exception ... The WashPost's Erica Werner writes from Akron that Ohio workers love the tariffs despite their potential effect on statewide politics:

"Although few argue that Ohio’s steel production industry can be restored to its glory days, steelworkers here hold out optimism that some idled facilities could be restarted and some jobs brought back."

But there are signs of a pullback, according to the NYT's Ana Swanson and Keith Bradsher. "White House Edges Back From Brink of Trade War: Hints That Tariffs on China May Never Go Into Effect":