Even as loyalty to President Donald Trump remains strong among California Republicans, there is a growing acknowledgment in the party that he has complicated their midterm prospects.

These mixed feelings surfaced at the state party’s convention this weekend in San Diego, where more than 1,000 Republicans gathered ahead of the June election. The focal point of the convention was to endorse candidates, though the party failed to reach a consensus on its governor nomination.

The three-day event struck a dual tone as there was huge support for Trump and his second term agenda, paired with a recognition of the political challenges facing the party. California’s Democratic supermajority, Proposition 50 and low approval ratings for Trump have all contributed to concerns about November. Recent polls show broad disapproval of the administration's handling of Iran and the economy.

“We may not hold the House in the midterms,” said U.S Rep. Darrell Issa, a GOP stalwart in San Diego who is retiring this year, on a Saturday afternoon panel.

Hours later, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who was the keynote speaker at Saturday night’s dinner, shared similar concerns.

“If the election was today, it would be bumpy because the left is angry,” Cruz told the crowd of more than 250 people.

These sentiments were echoed in interviews with more than a dozen convention attendees, all of which remain strongly supportive of Trump’s policies but recognize his second term decisions could lead to party losses in November. Among the reasons most cited for potential voter backlash were the war in Iran and increased gas prices.

“It would be stupid not to recognize that …What I know about the American public, they are very impatient,” said Karen Contreras, the vice president of the San Bernardino Republican Women. “They don’t want to suffer anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.”

Despite the war, Contreras’ support for Trump had not wavered. She called the U.S. government’s involvement the right decision in the long-term, and one that the country needed to endure.

She was not alone.

At the convention, which featured longtime and ardent Republican supporters, there was widespread approval of the president’s moves including to increase immigration enforcement, implement tariff policies and engage in war with Iran. The majority of Americans are less supportive of Trump’s handling of these issues.

His name also drew some of the loudest applause throughout the convention, and merchandise bearing his likeness and slogans was prominently displayed across the venue.

Ronald Soloman, who had a convention booth selling mainly Trump themed attire, said he had raked in more than $12,000 in merchandise sales over the three days. He estimated more business in the coming weeks with about the two dozen California Republican groups that he had connected with at the convention.

“I’ll probably close about 80% of those, and they’ll buy wholesale,” Soloman said.

Even so, supporters know that public opinion of the president has fallen in recent months. His approval rating dropped below 40% for the first time in his second term earlier this month, according to numerous polls.

“Anytime you go to war, there’s always an issue,” said Fern Somoza, president of the Valley Unity for Republican Women in Los Angeles. “No matter how strong people feel about it, war is war. War is frightening. War has a lot to do with how people feel about their children, their husbands, their lives.”

Contreras and Somoza, like others, were quick to argue that they believed Trump’s claims that the U.S. had essentially won the conflict and it would end soon.

The U.S. remains in a two-week ceasefire with Iran. On Saturday night, following more than 20 hours of negotiation, Vice President JD Vance said the U.S. and Iran had failed to reach an agreement to end the war citing Tehran’s refusal to give up its nuclear program.

“I seriously doubt it’s going to go on more than a few more weeks,” said U.S Rep. Tom McClintock, a longtime Trump ally, on Saturday.

In an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News Sunday morning, Trump said the price of gas could remain “the same or maybe a little bit higher” until November.

McClintock was also one of several politicians and attendees at the convention who also referenced Trump’s polarization and its potential effect on the election.

“He’s energized the Republican base, but obviously he’s also energized the Democratic,” he said.

During his keynote address, Cruz said that Democrats suffer from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

“They hate Trump in a way that is just unhinged,” Cruz said.

Guadalupe Gonzales, who was attending her fifth California Republican convention, said Trump’s unpopularity is one of the reasons she had “mixed feelings” about his endorsement for Steve Hilton. She is backing Hilton for the governor.

“If they hate Trump, then they might just for that very reason vote for someone else,” said Gonzales, a Republican voter since the 1990s.

She cited fears that a monthslong war with Iran would lead to more people voting Democrat.

“They might because people are very short-sighted,” Gonzales said before sighing. “Hopefully they can wrap it up sooner than later.”

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