Republicans want Trump to move on from 2020

President Donald Trump is bringing back 2020. Many Republicans wish he wouldn’t do this.

Interviews with nearly a dozen GOP state and county chairmen and strategists reveal a party largely willing to give up rehashing Trump’s election-related grievances; There are concerns that this party could overshadow the economic message that truly motivates voters. But the president won’t allow it with a subpoena. 2020 election records And put pressure on MPs Pass legislation that would overhaul voter registration laws.

As Republicans eye a treacherous midterm environment, there’s a growing sense within the party that a focus on “stolen election” allegations and voter fraud will bring them to their knees in the general election: That message might work for the MAGA base in the primary, but could alienate moderates tired of rehashing an election from nearly six years ago.

“I’m a believer that you should always look forward, not back,” said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania-based GOP strategist and Trump convention delegate whose Harrisburg-based public relations firm hosted a 2020 rally of fake voters. “It would be better if the midterms focused on the economic recovery and all the good things the Republican administration and Congress are doing to move the economy forward.”

In recent weeks, Trump has turned his sights to Maricopa County, Arizona’s largest county, with a subpoena just weeks after the FBI raided an election office outside Atlanta. it exists review of complaints Republicans claim that the 2020 elections were “fraudulent” nationalize elections and demands that lawmakers pass the SAVE America Act, which imposes stricter voting requirements, their “No. 1 priority.””

“Part of me understands that, and part of me just wants to move forward,” said Todd Gillman, chairman of the Monroe County Republican Party in Michigan.

“Focus on the things that are important to everyone across the country,” he said, “or we’re going to have a problem in a few months.”

Trump has support from a number of Republicans, including some battleground GOP chairmen who have not only embraced the president’s election investigation but also openly encouraged his administration to continue auditing their states’ records. Push fraud claims from 2020.

Bruce Parks, the GOP’s Washoe County, Nevada, chairman, said he would “absolutely” welcome an investigation into his county and Clark County, the two largest counties in the state. And Michigan Republican Party chairman Jim Runestad suggested reviewing records in Detroit, long the focus of Trump’s 2020 election conspiracies.

“There’s no problem looking at this and making sure everyone is comfortable,” Runestad said.

Still others say the risk is that voters won’t care or will move on. Republicans, including Trump’s own advisers, are increasingly I want him to focus on the economy. before midterms.

This comes as polls consistently show that economic issues, not election issues, top voters’ list of concerns. In a February POLITICO poll, more than half of Americans (52 percent) said the cost of living was the most important issue facing the United States. By comparison, less than a quarter (23 percent) said the most important issue was that U.S. democracy was under threat; This view is held predominantly by Democrats.

Cost-of-living concerns are exacerbated by Trump’s war in Iran; This war is driving up gas prices and causing global economic devastation as it enters its third week.

The White House said Trump’s efforts were aimed at restoring confidence in the election and reiterated the importance of passing the SAVES Act.

“[Trump] We are committed to ensuring that Americans have full confidence in the administration of elections, and this includes error-free, fully accurate and up-to-date voter rolls, including illegally registered non-citizen voters,” spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

Buzz Brockway, a GOP strategist and former state representative in Georgia, called election issues “a huge distraction” and added: “No one is talking about this except a small group, they’re talking about the economy, they’re talking about the price of oil right now.”

In Georgia, long the epicenter of Trump’s efforts to sue the 2020 election, some Republicans say voters are now largely “immune” to the issue, which has been raised repeatedly over the past five years.

Some state-level GOP officials hope Congress passes the SAVE Act — although Reluctance of many Republican lawmakers — thus giving them enough protection with MAGA voters but allowing them to avoid speaking out on election issues themselves.

While Trump’s “stolen election” claims are still a driving force for some primary voters, the general electorate is focused elsewhere. And if Republicans make those grievances the centerpiece of their midterm messaging, they risk falling into a similar trap Democrats faced in the 2024 presidential election — where former Vice President Kamala Harris’ warnings about democracy have already won the support of loyal Democrats but failed to sufficiently sway the swing voters she needs to clinch the presidency.

“You have to at least touch that base,” said one Georgia-based GOP strategist, agreeing to anonymity to speak candidly. But “once you get your nomination, I think it really comes down to economic problems.”

This dynamic could create a political dilemma for Republican candidates.

“An informed Democrat puts a candidate on the spot and says, ‘You agree.’ [Trump]isn’t it?’ “Republicans must somehow find a way to deflect this question in a reasonable way that does not alienate this vocal minority,” Brockway said.