Conversations with nearly a dozen state and local GOP chairmen and strategists show that most of the party would like to put Trump's election grievances behind them. They fear that this may obscure the economic message that actually mobilizes voters. However, the president does not give up— demands disclosure of documents from the 2020 elections. and puts pressure on lawmakers to pass laws tightening voter registration laws.
As Republicans prepare for an uncertain situation ahead of the November congressional elections, there is a growing belief within the party that focusing on the thesis of a “stolen election” and voter fraud will clip them in the national contest. This narrative may appeal to the hard core MAGA electorate in the primaries, but will discourage moderate voterstired of repeating a topic from almost six years ago.
“I think you should always look forward, not look back,” says Charlie Gerow, a Republican Party strategist from Pennsylvania and a delegate to the Trump convention. – It would be better focus in the elections on rebuilding the economy and on all the good things the administration and the Republican Congress are doing to move the economy forward.
“On the one hand, I understand it, on the other hand, I would like to go further”
In recent weeks, Trump has focused on Arizona's largest county, Maricopa County. The demand for election records comes just weeks after the FBI raided an election office outside Atlanta, Georgia. He once again raises allegations that the 2020 elections were “rigged”suggests Republicans take control of elections nationally and demands that lawmakers make passing the SAVE America Act their “number one priority.”
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“On the one hand, I understand it, but on the other hand, I would like to go further,” admitted Todd Gillman, chairman of the Republican Party in Monroe County, Michigan. — Let's focus on issues that matter to everyone across the countryotherwise we will have a problem in a few months.
Trump still has the support of some Republicansincluding some party heads from the so-called swing states who not only support his election audit initiatives, but actually encourage his administration to conduct audits in their states, while continuing to level allegations of fraud from 2020.
Bruce Parks, chairman of the Republican Party in Washoe County, Nevada, said he would “definitely” support an investigation in his county and Clark County, the state's two largest regions. Jim Runestad, head of the Republican Party in Michigan, suggested reviewing the Detroit recordsa city that has long been at the center of Trump's 2020 election conspiracy theories. “I don't see a problem with taking a look at it and making sure everyone is comfortable with it,” Runestad said.
Others, however, emphasize that the risk is that voters simply don't care – or have long since forgotten about it. A growing number of Republicans, including Trump's own advisers, want him to focus on the economy before the congressional elections.
This would be consistent with poll results which consistently show that this economic issues — not voting rights — are what matters most to Americans. In a POLITICO survey from February, more than half of respondents — 52 percent. — identified the cost of living as the most important problem in the US. For comparison: less than a quarter – 23 percent. — considered the threat to democracy in the US to be a key problem. This view is dominant among Democrats.
Currently, concerns about the cost of living are deepened by Trump's war in Iran, which is driving up gasoline prices and causing economic chaos around the world. The conflict has been going on for three weeks now.
The White House assures that Trump's actions are aimed at rebuilding trust in elections and emphasizes the importance of passing the SAVE Act. “Trump has pledged to give Americans full confidence in the conduct of elections, and that means there must be voter lists fully up to date, free from errors and illegally registered foreigners” – argues Abigail Jackson, spokeswoman.
“A smart democrat will put a candidate against the wall”
Buzz Brockway, a GOP strategist and former member of the Georgia Legislature, calls election issues a “huge distraction.” — Outside a narrow, committed group, no one is talking about it, everyone is talking about the economy, and now oil prices, he says.
In Georgia, which has been at the center of Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, some Republicans believe voters are already “immunized” against the issues. This topic has been discussed for the last five years.
Supporters of Donald Trump who did not accept the election results during the riot at the Capitol. Washington, January 6, 2021EPA/JIM LO SCALZO / PAP
Some state GOP politicians are hoping Congress will pass the SAVE Act — despite the reluctance of many Republican lawmakers — because it will give them an alibi against MAGA voters, and at the same time will avoid the topic of that election in this year's campaign.
While Trump's claims of a “stolen election” may still motivate some of the electorate in the primaries, the general population of voters now looks the other way. If Republicans make these grievances the main theme of their campaign, they risk falling into a trap similar to the one that faced Democrats in 2024 – when Vice President Kamala Harris' warnings about the threat to democracy resonated only with the convinced but did not reach enough undecided voters for the Democrat to win the presidency.
“You have to at least appeal to this group,” admits one Republican strategist from Georgia, who spoke anonymously. — But once you have the nomination, it all comes down to economic issues.
This creates a political dilemma for Republican candidates. — A smart Democrat will put his candidate up against the wall with a question: “You agree with Trump, right?” and will make a scandal out of it, says Brockway. — Republicans have to figure out a way to deflect this question somehowand so as not to alienate this vocal minority.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
