Trump’s decision to spend the day before the pivotal midterms showing off his renovations in the nation’s capital instead of barnstorming around the country was a puzzling way to pitch America on keeping his party in power.

“It starts just with the setting being bizarre and being very self-focused,” said Doug Heye, a Republican strategist. “And then you had the pictures and the posters on the easels and all of that — none of which help a single undecided voter in the last day of the elections move to the Republican Party.”

Heye, a former communications director at the Republican National Committee, said Trump’s Reflecting Pool speech was the “last thing” Republican candidates needed and added, “Maybe it doesn’t register, but it sure doesn’t help.”