Co- founder of the Lincoln Project and GOP strategist Mike Madrid, has warned on multiple occasions about dangers he claims could occur should Donald Trump be reelected. Most recently he shared a strategy on how he feels Americans can avoid this. He promotes Trump’s Republican opponent, Nikki Haley, and encourages her to continue in the GOP primaries.
Resistance Within The GOP
Data polling recently showed that a lot of Republicans are claiming they will not support Trump in future elections.
In regards to this, Madrid made claims that this notion has been gaining headway in popularity. He suggested that a collective effort could potentially weaken Trump’s position even further.
Tactics From The Lincoln Project
Previously, the Lincoln Project unveiled a video during a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event. In the video they used deepfake technology to generate a video of Trump’s father, Fred, criticizing his son.
In the video Fred says, “Donny, I always knew you’d blow it. You were always a fool – a joke, low rent.”
Obstacles In Front Of President Biden
Also noted by Madrid were the multiple obstacles that President Biden could be facing. He mentioned the amount of minority voters that seem to be steering away from the Democratic party, along with a “depressed base turnout.”
Mardrid also highlighted the third-party candidates as another obstacle for Biden. However, he mentioned that the GOP deserters could solve two of these challenges.
Comments Madrid Made
Madrid made comments that Republicans who vote for candidates that aren’t Tump “are significantly less likely to return to him in the general.”
He also said “This is where resources should be spent. Everything else is a distraction. GOP defections will be the single largest factor in the November outcome.”
Comments Conway Made
A conservative lawyer named George Conway, apparently agreed with Madrid. He said, “The fact that the number of anti-Trump GOP voters is already so high at this point is actually astonishing, given how far off the radar screen he has been over the past couple of years.”
Madrid confirmed by saying “Yes. Moving these voters is the single most important factor in ensuring Trump’s defeat.”
Statistics Used
Madrid also added, “In Feb 2020 only 6% of Republican voters were saying they wouldn’t support Trump in the general election. In Feb 2024 we are seeing polling consistently at 3X that.
Most/many will go back but it’s far stronger positioning to beat him if there’s a targeted effort to get them.”
Independent Voters Role
In early nominating contests, data showed that in Iowa and New Hampshire many Republicans and Independent voters are casting votes that go against Trump. Many have mentioned that they prefer alternative candidates such as Haley.
It seems as though, in the GOP and among independent voters, there is an increasing sense of unhappiness with Trump.
The Sway That Big Money Has In Politics
Many Republican donors have endorsed Haley’s campaign with exceptional donations. Her campaign has used this money to make television ads that slander her competitors, this includes Trump.
Despite this the polls and results from the earlier primaries indicate that Trump is still the leading GOP candidate.
A Change In Republican Donor Strategy
Multiple Republican strategists have said that the GOP needs to collectively work as a unit against Trump. They want to stay away from divisions that played in his favor during previous primaries.
This approach included supporting one strong candidate to put forth a united front against Trump, very different from past elections.
The Debate On Electability
People are worried about Trump’s electability. They have made claims that his legal difficulties and poor midterm election performances could mean that he will not be able to take victory over Joe Biden.
They are concerned that supporting Trump as opposed to Haley will end up causing more harm than good in the future.
Spending More
In addition to this, Haley’s campaign and super PAC, SFA fund inc. have spent significantly more money than any other campaign group in the primaries.
A few reports have even suggested that they have spent nearly $50 million on advertisements alone. It seems as though Haley’s campaign is attempting to close the gap between her and Trump.
Trump’s Tatic With Silence And Focused Attacks
It seems as though Trump is using the divisions for his benefit. Initially, when potential challengers surfaced, Trump kept fairly quiet and stayed focused, he kept the majority of his criticism about Ron DeSantis.
It has been argued by political analysts that Trump is leaning on his sound foundation to bring him through a divided series of primaries.
Public Opinions During Early Primaries
In Iowa and New Hampshire exit polls and voter surveys showed that quite a few Republicans are casting ballots that are clearly against Trump.
These polls also indicated that many independent voters are supportive of Haley, and that might cause GOP primary voters to feel dissatisfied with Trump. This could prove to be a cause for significant vulnerabilities for Trump’s support base.
Dynamics Of Primary Election
Regardless of excessive spending, Haley has only just started to close the gap with Trump in New Hampshire.
Haley has gotten support from organizations like Americans for Prosperity, they have donated close to $23 million in the primaries. It’s become very clear that Haley’s supporters are doing their best to change the outcomes of the primaries.
The Influence Of The Latino Vote
Madrid has spoken previously about the significance of the Latino vote. He hosts a podcast called “The Latino Vote,” where he has talked about the importance of this demographic group.
Madrid says the votes of the latinos could ultimately be the deciding factor in the outcome of the presidential race, and could also have sway in the control over Congress.
Shifts In Anti-Trump Efforts
Groups such as Club For Growth have previously attempted to challenge Trump’s dominance in the GOP primaries.
Nevertheless, groups such as these, have mostly, with many opposing leaders recognized that their strategies are rendered ineffective. Despite this, there are groups that still like the ‘Never Trumpers’ working towards defeating Trump.
Impeachment Inquiry Is Problematic For The GOP
House Republicans, specifically those in the swing districts, are coming up against an array of unique challenges. They will need to support an impeachment inquiry against President Biden while simultaneously steering clear of being labeled as extremists.
This has the potential to make moderate voters feel alienated while also giving the impression to undecided voters that the GOP is too divided.
Future For The Republican Party
It is obvious that the GOP is faced with a slew of problems, including the issue of having division within the party. They are also having to deal with confronting Trump’s influence.
A lot of people have speculated about how the party will deal with the challenges they are facing, or if they will have success. The 2024 election is bound to be one of the most divisive.
