President Donald Trump is facing growing scrutiny from members of his own party and political allies as Republicans brace for a challenging midterm election season. According to a new analysis from The Atlantic, Trump's continued flirtation with election denialism is increasingly alienating his supporters and becoming a political liability for the GOP.
Those who previously questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election seem to be acknowledging that Joe Biden won fair and square. Some are even backtracking on previous comments or speculation as they recognize that relitigating the election is unlikely to work in their favor with the voting public in the future. “Saying that elections are rigged in this country, saying that Donald Trump really won the 2020 election, is not something that appeals to voters in general elections,” Kelly Rader, research director for States United Action, said in her chat with the outlet.
There is a hook; however, as no one in Trump’s camp wants to ruffle Trump’s feathers, they are walking a fine line with trying to advise him without furthering his frustration. “They’re trying to not say anything that would offend Donald Trump, so they dance around the issue,” added Rick Hasen, an election-law expert.
Still, Republicans are trying to distance themselves from Trump's fixation on questioning election results when they don't go his way. As Trump’s voter-fraud claims continue, some Republicans are choosing to stay quiet or publicly distance themselves completely from his jargon.
California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton has rejected Trump's claims of voter fraud and criticized his attacks on mail-in voting. Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski criticized the Justice Department for suing Alaska over a ballot issue involving two candidates with the same name: Dan Sullivan.
Trump's election rhetoric isn’t working, as Republican strategists say voters are more concerned about the state of the economy than anything else. Candidates recognize that focusing on election fraud could distract from issues voters actually care about, which can be counterproductive in achieving their overall goal. “If the economy is bad, that is always gonna be the primary issue over election integrity,” says Samuel Chen, a Republican political consultant in Pennsylvania. “More people are feeling the economy, and that is going to drive people to the polls in much larger numbers than election integrity.”
While Trump's election denial aligns with his MAGA base, it’s not enough to save him. GOP candidates are adjusting their strategies for general elections and many advise Trump needs to abandon ship with his rhetoric. “It’s six years ago or more. So life goes on. There are other, more current things to talk about,” says Christopher Nicholas, a Republican political consultant in Pennsylvania.
