From TSA Lines to the Ballot Box: Shutdown Could Haunt Democrats As GOP Launches Airport Ad Campaign

Any American who has had to travel in the past month and a half knows that our airports are a mess right now. That's thanks to the Democrats, who have kept the government shut down for six weeks. Yesterday, we learned that more than 300 TSA agents have quit rather than continue working without pay as security lines take hours. President Trump announced he would be deploying ICE agents to airports to help with the problem, and Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl is warning they'll be forced to close smaller airports if the Democrats don't end this nonsense.

‘THIS IS WILD’: Airports across the country are seeing long TSA lines and travel disruptions as staffing strains during the shutdown, with some waits stretching for hours.

At Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, travelers were seen standing in long lines snaking… pic.twitter.com/7qoOX5skqz
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 22, 2026

Travelers are missing flights and frustrated. And now the National Republican Congressional Committee is launching a major ad campaign that will play at airports across the United States, reminding travelers exactly who is to blame for the chaos at airports.

Here's that ad:

Much like the NRCC ad targeting vulnerable Democrats who refused to stand for Americans over illegal aliens, this ad will play at airports in districts where Democrats are vulnerable in the midterms.

These include California Democrats Adam Gray (CA-13), Derek Tran (CA-45), Dave Min (CA-47), Darren Soto (FL-09), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Frank Mrvan (IN-01), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Don Davis (NC-01), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Gabe Vazquez (NM-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Susie Lee (NV-03), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Josh Riley (NY-19), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Vincente Gonzalez (TX-34), Eugene Vindman (VA-07) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03).

The ads will play at several airports including Fresno Yosemite International, Los Angeles International, Orlando and Palm Beach International, O'Hare International, Portland International, Flint-Bishop International, Raleigh-Durham International, Portsmouth International, Newark International, Albuquerque International, Harry Reid International, LaGuardia and JFK International, Dulles and Reagan International,and Seattle-Tacoma International.

This is what the lines look like at places like LaGuardia and O'Hare

psa if you’re flying out of laguardia today: the tsa line is now so long it has spilled outside the airport. they are now having passengers queue outside on the sidewalk pic.twitter.com/pwQt7pfTYO
— emily north (@north0fnorth) March 22, 2026

🚨 CHAOS: Massive TSA lines form at Chicago O’Hare as DHS funding fight drags on, leaving travelers stuck and pressure building fast.pic.twitter.com/odnG1chbIB
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) March 17, 2026

With the midterms on the horizon, voters aren't going to be too keen on the Democrats making their lives more difficult. The FAA estimates that about 2.7 million people are flying daily across 45,000 commercial flights. Some are traveling for pleasure or to visit family and loved ones, others are traveling for work. They're all united in being made miserable by the Democrats who are putting illegal aliens ahead of American citizens.

400+ TSA officers have quit.
$2.5 BILLION lost.

Airports in chaos. Americans stuck in the fallout.

All because of Democrats’ political games.

Fund @DHSgov. Now. pic.twitter.com/W3tqbxq7Iy
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 22, 2026

And thanks to the NRCC, they'll be reminded each and every time they fly who is responsible for long lines. "House Democrats shut down Homeland Security while TSA agents work for free and Americans sit in hours-long security lines. It's pure insanity, and voters won't forget who betrayed them," said NRCC Spokesman Mike Marinella.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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