GOP 'putting thumb on scale' to aid midterm chances as they 'know they'll lose': analysis
The Republican Party and Donald Trump know the midterm election results will swing heavily in the Democratic Party's favor, according to a political analyst.
The president's team is reportedly hard at work trying to tip the balance for the GOP in the run-up to the November elections. David Rothkopf believes the election is already lost for the Trump administration, with The Daily Beast columnist suggesting the GOP is in damage control mode.
He said, "The reality is that they realize they’re going to lose, and so they are using every conceivable tool in order to put their thumb on the scale, right?
"Why do they want the voter rolls? So they can disqualify people. Why do they want to pursue the conspiracy theories about Fulton County? So they can say, ‘Well, we need to impound these machines. There’s a potential problem. You will never see the votes again. You will never see what comes out of that."
Redistricting efforts in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina were also cited by Rothkopf, who believes recent legislation from the Trump admin will play its part in the midterm elections. The SAVE America Act, legislation that passed in the House, would require a government-issued voter ID to vote in federal elections and would affect mail-in voting.
Trump has publicly criticized mail-in voting, telling reporters, "Why would you want mail-in ballots if you know it's corrupt? It's a corrupt system," and posted on Truth Social, "NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS (EXCEPT FOR ILLNESS, DISABILITY, MILITARY, OR TRAVEL!)." Despite these statements, few GOP lawmakers have heeded his call and the pressure campaign collapsed in on itself.
Several House Republicans sympathize with Trump's concerns about mailed ballots but have expressed caution. Many represent states like Florida with long histories of extensive mail voting and little evidence of widespread abuse.
New York Representative Mike Lawler said, "If they vote by mail, if they vote early, if they vote on Election Day, the objective is to get them out and vote."