Category Archives: Republican

Eric Trump said on Wednesday that his father, former President Donald Trump, is the key defining feature of the GOP and that the Republican party should be known as the "Trump party."

He made the comments while speaking with Eric Bolling on Newsmax as they discussed Rep. Liz Cheney's recent loss in the Wyoming GOP primary election to Trump-backed lawyer Harriet Hageman.

"Any question, Eric, that the Republican party is the party of Trump?" Bolling asked him.

"There's no question. I mean, it's not even the Republican party, I'd say it's actually the Trump party," Trump said, referencing his father's endorsement record. Per Ballotpedia, the elder Trump's endorsement record stands at 92%, with 183 victories and 17 defeats.

"My father has really redefined what the party is, how the party speaks to its constituents," Eric Trump told Newsmax.

He said that his father had "literally brought in a whole new party that stands for something totally different than the RINO class of the Republican party ever stood for."

RINO, which stands for "Republican in name only," is a term commonly used in Trumpworld as an insult to GOP lawmakers who do not support Trump.

Trump also gloated over the margin by which Cheney the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney lost the Wyoming Republican primary, saying that his father had "killed another political dynasty."

"He first killed the Bushes and then he killed the Clintons. Last night, he killed the Cheneys. He's been RINO-hunting ever since he got into politics," he said.

Hageman's win over Cheney on Tuesday, in which the lawyer received 66.3% of the vote, marked the largest victory margin that a Trump-backed candidate has earned.

The former president's endorsement has been key to helping several candidates, such as J.D. Vance and Dr. Mehmet Oz, win their respective GOP primaries.

However, The New York Times reported that the elder Trump also has a track record of supporting candidates who run unopposed or against poorly-funded opponents. The former president sometimes also waits to choose a candidate only after they begin emerging as the likely winner, per the outlet.

Some Trump-backed candidates have also been defeated by large margins, such as gubernatorial hopeful David Perdue, who lost his Georgia primary to the incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also fended off his Trump-endorsed opponent, Rep. Jody Hice, by ahealthy margin.

The resounding losses of some of Donald Trump's favored candidates have caused some to question the true power of his endorsements. Moreover, Trump's popularity amongst those thought to be his loyal supporters also appears to be dwindling amid a bevy of lawsuits and investigations.

For instance, former Vice President Mike Pence has increasingly voiced differing opinions from those circulating in Trumpworld. He recently condemned the far-right's calls to defund the FBI following the agency's raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence last Monday.

Similarly, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan claimed last month that the former president's influence has "decreased dramatically" and pointed to five GOP governors who have withstood Trump's attacks.

Even Alex Jones, a conspiracy theorist once loyal to the former president, has said he would no longer "pigheadedly" support Trump and is now backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis instead.

Despite this turnaround, Trump continues to chart high in polls. One recent survey by Politico found that 57% of registered voters would choose the former president if he were to run for re-election in 2024. Another poll by CBS in March found that 52% of polled Republicans wanted their midterm candidates to talk about being loyal to Trump.

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Eric Trump claims the Republican Party is 'actually the Trump party' - Business Insider

Despite probably realizing it on some subconscious level, it took my own pregnancy for me to accept that I was in a controlling and unhealthy relationship. My boyfriend had broken down so much of my self-worth and confidence that I didnt have the courage to tell myself the truth about the relationship. But that pregnancy forced me to face it all. Having a child links you to their father for the rest of your life, and this link gives him control over that child in ways you cant predict or stop. For days after leaving the hospital, all I could see were the red flags I had been ignoring, including one harrowing incident I was so ashamed of I kept it hidden. Unlike Juno, I did not have a loving, nerdy best friend as the father, and unlike her, I did not want to go through parenting or a long adoption process with him.

I had an abortion despite the shame I felt about my circumstances. I had an abortion despite a high school friend writing baby killer on my Facebook wall. I had an abortion despite feeling so conflicted due to my Catholic education and confused about how this choice could turn me into a bad person. I had an abortion without a supportive partner or community. I wasnt Juno: I had an abortion.

At the time, I was scared and alone and confused. I certainly didnt recognize the privilege I had. The clinic was two miles away from my childhood home. The procedure was affordable. The staff was kind and professional. The abortion was legal and safe and regulated. And I left for my four-year college three months later.

My abortion story, and everything that happened afterward, is the kind of story that makes political strategists jobs very difficult. As an expert in political data, my job is to put people in boxes. Are you a young person with an electric vehicle that you drive around an urban area? Youre likely a Democrat, and I bet you care about climate change. Are you white, male and the owner of a pickup truck that bumps down country roads? Then you probably have a Donald Trump bumper sticker on that truck, and you probably arent happy about rising gas prices. We can even use the most sophisticated data to find unique cross-sections of voters, those hard-to-reach boxes, such as Republicans who are pro-gun control, or Democrats who dont believe in defunding the police. This is how my world works.

Republicans talk as if abortion is something only Democrats seek and undergo. Not in my home. Not in my church. Not in my community.

The problem with these boxes is that most people are actually far more complex than they appear in even the data. Abortions polls are notoriously inconsistent and vary wildly depending on how questions are asked. Most people hold a complex set of beliefs and ideologies across a spectrum, and I fear that we cant own this complexity out loud in general, but especially on abortion, because of how the abortion debate has become increasingly partisan in recent years. If youre a Republican, you show up in the surveys as being anti-abortion and in favor of fewer exceptions to abortion bans than Democrats. If youre a Democrat, youre probably in favor of abortion rights and more exceptions to abortion bans. If you, like many Americans, fall into the very wide gray space, we might see you show up across some of the more nuanced surveys, but we likely dont have much more specific knowledge about your views.

Republicans talk as if abortion is something only Democrats seek and undergo. Not in my home. Not in my church. Not in my community. The data tell us that at least 600,000 people get abortions annually. Statistics vary and only account for legal abortions. But some of the reddest states in the country states that struggle to even elect Democrats to public office still see significant numbers of abortions, even with very few clinics operating in these states. In 2019, here were some of the numbers of abortions coming out of the reddest states in America: 2,922 in Utah, just over 1,100 in North Dakota, 2,963 in Arkansas and 6,009 in Alabama. The faces and stories behind these abortions would likely surprise us. They shouldnt.

Beyond the statistics on who gets abortions, there is also some agreement across the two parties on who should have access to abortion. According to Pew, 61 percent of voters believe abortion should be legal in some or all cases. Only 8 percent of voters believe abortion should be illegal in all cases. Given these numbers, it should seem that Democrats and Republicans in red states and blue states alike should get to work on deciding what the restrictions and exceptions should be; a law that bans nearly all abortions is unlikely to align with popular opinion, no matter how red the state.

In the community Ive been a part of, I dont see people coming forward to share their personal stories with abortion. And why would they? Its clearly not safe to have had an abortion and its particularly not safe to say it out loud.

If we dont allow people access to this context about their lives and nuanced feelings on abortion, if we dont see people step outside of these boxes in a real way, then how can Republicans meaningfully engage on the issue of abortion access? If we cant even talk about it, how can we legislate on it? If you dont truly think you know someone who has had an abortion, how can you empathize?

In the years since my abortion, I havent felt safe to tell this story. Frankly, I still dont. I know there are many, many more people with stories like mine who dont have the privilege to speak out. I hope we make it safe for them to do so because yes, this is happening in your home. Yes, this is happening in your church. Yes, this is happening in your community.

Perhaps youll find empathy for me as I step outside of this box. Perhaps youll even consider whether your own box is serving you and the people around you. Im a married, white woman, who lives in the suburbs, has worked for many Republicans, and I believe in access to safe, legal abortion.

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Opinion | More Republican Women Than You Think Have Had Abortions. Here's How I Know. - POLITICO

Dear Editor:

What is the Republican Party in Wyoming afraid of? Why are they supporting those in the GOP leadership that dont want January 6 investigated? Whats to hide if you were not involved? Dont we want to know the facts?

What if in 2016 Vice President Biden said, No I certify that Hillary Clinton really won the election? We would be outraged and rightly so. Dont we want to know what or who triggered January 6? Oops sorry trigger like compromise are bad words.

Why are they afraid of Congressman Liz Cheney? If the party is as conservative as they say they are then why would they kick out a congressman who voted over 90% of the time with Trump? All the sudden she isnt conservative enough?

In fact, in the latest missive from the WY GOP Liz is called Woke. What is the new definition of conservative? Who changed the definition? All of this should make you wonder, is the Former President a man or a golden calf we now must worship because we got tired of waiting on Moses to bring the 10 commandments down from the mountain.

In this case Rudy Giuliani to bring actual evidence, not hearsay, actual evidence that showed there was voter fraud and Trump won. Believe me, I wanted there to be evidence. I could not believe a bumbling glad hander who campaigned from his basement won.

I streamed news on my computer at work all day then beat it home to watch the news with my dad.Many hoped for a News Alert that said, Major Smoking Gun; Biden concedes, and Trumps stay in WH. But it didnt happen. And after a few weeks it started getting old and embarrassing listening to we have the proof we have the proof only to find out the sky was not going to fall, and that Giuliani used a bad batch of Just for Men hair color.

Some still believe and blame the judicial system. Really? The emperor doesnt have any clothes on, there is not any evidence, and someone needs to tell him. Oh, wait that is what Liz is doing but she is being tarred and feathered for speaking and searching for the truth. Remember she was on the floor of the US House when rioters were trying to break down the doors of the Capitol and the House and Senate chamber.

We were not there. If you still believe the big lie look up a PBS Frontline interview with Frank Luntz the Republican Pollster. He told President Trump the polls are NOT in your favor; you are going to lose. But Trump mocked him and like the smarmy salesman he is convinced others to mock Luntz also. Its hard to hear but sometimes the truth is hard to hear.

Rally calls in Wyoming are, cross over voting is bad. There always is cross over voting. And why do you think that is? Because the GOP in the state is angry with a petite conservative blond who believes the brand, she rides for is the Constitution of the United States and it is her duty to protect it.

This small powerhouse is not afraid to speak truth to power and say, hey what Trump was asking Vice President Pence and others to do regarding the certification of the election was unconstitutional. This is not a controversial stance to take. Its the only stance to take.

The WY GOP is so afraid of Liz they have disavowed her. Yep friends, the State GOP are acting like Liz is a rouge CIA agent the Russians have caught, and the CIA is no longer recognizing her as a member of their gang. If you voted for Liz last election, the GOP is now disenfranchising you.

Again, what is the GOP afraid of? Why is Trump afraid of Cong Cheney? She is one member from a small population state, a fly over state. There is a bur under Trumps and the WY GOPs saddle over Liz. Could it be that what she has been saying is hitting too close to the mark, so they want to deflect and say, she isnt Republican enough?

When you go to the county clerk to register to vote there is no written test. You choose. It would be unconstitutional to do otherwise.

What made Liz a RINO? Ive heard she does nothing for Wyoming. Seriously? She introduced legislation to protect fire fighters, coal, guns, stop Executive orders that hinder oil and gas production without Congressional approval, protecting and strengthening rural healthcare, access to tele-health, working to stop the 30 by30 Biden land grab.

There is more but Im over my word limit. Republicans are in the minority. Getting anything passed is impossible. No new congressman from WY will do a quarter of what shes done. Besides that, anyone but Liz, will listen to a guy from New York City on how to vote. NEW YORK CITY?!

Please dont take the constitution for granted. If you choose to vote for someone other than Congressman Cheney, remember, she is working right now to keep your right to vote against her, she knows full well she could lose but defending the constitution is more important for her.

This Cowgirl is riding for the Constitution not a New Yorker that has weaponized the English language to con people into following him.

Sincerely,

Jackie Van MarkTorrington, Wyoming

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Letter To The Editor: What Is The Wyoming Republican Party Afraid Of - Cowboy State Daily

PONTIAC, Mich. Dear Mr. President, the letter began.

Donald J. Trumps estranged former education secretary, Betsy DeVos last seen trying to remove him from office using the 25th Amendment after the Capitol riot took pen in hand the other day to plead with him to look past Michigans no-holds-barred Republican infighting and side with her powerful political familys choice for governor.

I hear that some have implied that my family and I are working against you in Michigan, Ms. DeVos wrote in looping cursive on personal stationery. That is fake news. Those telling you that are doing so for their own personal gain.

She added that her preferred candidate, Tudor Dixon, a former conservative media personality, was the only one who can stand toe to toe with that woman from Michigan Mr. Trumps sobriquet for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat whom Republicans desperately want to topple.

Your support of Tudor can make the winning difference! Ms. DeVos closed her Wednesday letter. Very sincerely, Betsy.

The letter worked, to an extent: Late Friday, Mr. Trump issued an 11th-hour endorsement of Ms. Dixon ahead of Tuesdays primary. But it also highlighted what has been the fiercest, bitterest and potentially most consequential Republican infighting in the country.

For much of the spring and summer, Ms. DeVos and her billionaire relatives the most influential Republican family in Michigan have been at war with Mr. Trumps followers in the state, choosing different sides in consequential primaries for the state Legislature and endorsements at the state partys convention.

The former presidents late nod in the governors race only compounded the confusion and heightened the suspense about what his followers would do on Primary Day. Just the day before the endorsement, eight of his chosen down-ballot candidates sent him an open letter urging him not to do political business with the DeVos family.

The open hostilities have emboldened an ascendant grass roots wing of Michigan Republicans who are devoted to Mr. Trump and his agenda. And his endorsement will test the degree to which the former president has the wherewithal to lead them.

All told, Republicans are in danger of bungling what earlier this year appeared to be a promising opportunity to oust Ms. Whitmer. The partys strongest two candidates were jettisoned from the ballot because of a signature-forgery blunder. The resulting field, aside from the untested Ms. Dixon, includes one candidate facing misdemeanor charges related to the Capitol riot and another dogged by years-old lawsuits over allegations that he made racist and sexually explicit comments to employees.

The state of the midterms. We are now over halfway through this years midterm primary season, and some key ideas and questions have begun to emerge. Heres a look at what weve learned so far:

At the same time, Michigan Republicans have elevated two Trump-endorsed election deniers to run for attorney general and secretary of state key posts overseeing the election machinery in a vital 2024 presidential battleground state.

And the weak candidates and intraparty chaos have presented Democrats who are aided by a new state legislative map drawn for the first time by an independent commission with a real opportunity to win control of the State Senate for the first time in 40 years.

That Ms. DeVos felt compelled to appeal to Mr. Trump as if Jan. 6 had never happened was a measure of how bad things had gotten.

A major funder of Mr. Trumps two presidential campaigns, the family was cast out by the Republican base after Ms. DeVos committed the apostasy of seeking to remove Mr. Trump from office over the Capitol riot, arguing that he was no longer fit to serve. Ms. DeVos has said her entreaty was rejected by Vice President Mike Pence, and she resigned the day after the assault.

In Michigan, Mr. Trump and the DeVos family have backed opposing candidates in seven Republican primaries for state legislative seats. (Mr. Trump has endorsed 11 such candidates in all, more than in any other state.)

Endorsing Ms. Dixon on Friday night, he took credit for her campaigns success which he attributed to his shout-out to her during an April rally in Michigan, a moment she memorialized in her campaigns TV ads. Her campaign took off like a rocket ship, he said.

Jase Bolger, a former speaker of the Michigan House who is allied with the DeVos family, said the states Trump loyalists had tried to drive a wedge between Republicans, adding, They have to be careful because otherwise they could be helping Democrats.

The down-ballot G.O.P. primaries in Michigan are emblematic of skirmishes across the country, where Trump-inspired insurgents are vying to wrest control from Republican power brokers who have long controlled purse strings and nominations.

Candidates endorsed by Mr. Trump won primaries for governor in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Maryland, while the G.O.P. establishment prevailed in Georgia and Nebraska. Similar Republican showdowns will unfold in primaries for governor on Tuesday in Arizona and on Aug. 9 in Wisconsin.

In the state of Michigan, especially in the Republican Party, its fractured, said Garrett Soldano, a chiropractor and leading Republican candidate for governor who entered politics by organizing opposition to Ms. Whitmers pandemic mitigation efforts in 2020. We have the old guard, the establishment, the DeVos empire that are putting their thumb on the scale. And we have we the people, these grass roots folks that are standing up.

But the Republican strife has national Democrats newly optimistic about taking control of the State Senate for the first time in generations.

Theres no better state legislative opportunity in America than the Michigan Senate, said Daniel L. Squadron, a former New York state senator who leads the States Project, a Democratic group focused on winning state legislative chambers. What were seeing in the primaries is just how deeply Trumpism and the Big Lie has infected the Republican Party.

For decades, the DeVos family has been synonymous with Republican politics in Michigan. Ms. DeVos has twice been the chairwoman of the state Republican Party, and her husband, Dick DeVos, was the partys nominee for governor in 2006.

The family, which founded and still runs the Amway multilevel marketing company, has given at least $23 million to Republican candidates, political action committees and conservative causes in the state since 2015, according to an analysis by Progress Michigan, a liberal organization.

In almost any recent election, a Michigan Republican would use an endorsement from the DeVoses as a badge of honor and a catapult to fund-raising success. But Ms. Dixons rivals have attacked her for associating with the family, and she has found herself explaining that she does not agree with Ms. DeVos about Mr. Trumps actions on Jan. 6, 2021.

Ive come out publicly and said that in that case, we dont agree, Ms. Dixon said in an interview, adding of the family: Theyre supporting what I want to do for the state. Its not that Im supporting what theyve done in the past.

Her rivals have not found that explanation sufficient.

Recent debates have devolved into a DeVos family pile-on. This past week, Mr. Soldano turned to Ms. Dixon and said the DeVoses wanted to implement the 25th Amendment against President Trump they abandoned President Trump.

On Wednesday in Pontiac, Ms. Dixon came under fire from Kevin Rinke, a self-funding candidate and former car dealer who is running television ads saying that Ms. Dixon has taken millions from the same billionaires who tried to remove Trump from office.

The truth hurts, Mr. Rinke said. Fess up.

Gustavo Portela, a spokesman for the Michigan Republican Party, said in an interview that the party was not worried about the fractious nature of the primaries and that at the end of the day, folks are going to get together, and theyre going to do everything possible to elect a Republican this fall.

The four leading Republican candidates for governor, including Ms. Dixon, have all fostered doubts about the 2020 election outcome and say they are staunch allies of Mr. Trump. During a May debate, three said he was the real winner in Michigan (he lost by 154,000 votes), while Mr. Rinke said that fraud had occurred but that he wasnt sure if it was enough to tip the election. (There is no evidence of widespread fraud.)

One candidate, Ryan Kelley, a real estate agent, has sought to parlay notoriety from being charged with four misdemeanors for his actions at the Capitol on Jan. 6 into momentum for his campaign. Voters, he argued in an interview, are sick of this insurrection charade.

A super PAC funded by the DeVos family and backing Ms. Dixon has also bashed Mr. Rinke, calling him simply unelectable in a TV ad. It recalls two lawsuits from the early 1990s in which he was accused of gender and age discrimination and of using sexually explicit and racist language toward his employees.

Mr. Rinke settled the cases and, in an interview, said the accusations were absolutely false.

The G.O.P. primary was never supposed to be this contentious.

Heading into this year, Republicans had made Ms. Whitmers office a prime target.

Party insiders looked to two top recruits James Craig, a former Detroit police chief, and Perry Johnson, a wealthy businessman to contend for the nomination. But both failed to qualify for the ballot after contractors for their campaigns submitted petitions with forged signatures.

The DeVos wing of the party took major losses in April when, at the Michigan G.O.P.s endorsement convention, delegates elevated two Trump-backed candidates, Matthew DePerno and Kristina Karamo, for attorney general and secretary of state. Both have said the 2020 election was stolen, and neither has received support from the DeVoses.

Ms. Whitmer appears to be more resilient than expected months ago. Her approval rating was 55 percent in a July survey conducted for The Detroit News. Among independent voters, 61 percent approved of Ms. Whitmer, compared with just 33 percent for President Biden, the poll found.

A similar uncertainty has settled over the State Senate. Though Republicans currently hold a 22-to-16 advantage in the chamber, new maps have upended the partys grip; Ms. Whitmer would have carried 23 of 38 districts in 2018.

In one district just south of Detroit, a Republican candidate named James Chapman attended election-denial protests at the State Capitol in 2020, including one where he held a brunette doll hanging by a noose.

After months of intense political conflict, some candidates showed no signs of dtente, even after Mr. Trump backed Ms. Dixon.

From what I know about President Trump, he likes winners, Mr. Soldano said in a statement late Friday in response to the former presidents endorsement. I look forward to his support on Aug. 3.

Michael C. Bender contributed reporting.

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Could the G.O.P. Beat Whitmer in Michigan? Party Chaos Has Hurt Its Chances. - The New York Times

OPINION:

The Republican National Convention is coming to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Well, technically, the members of the Republican National Committee (RNC) must vote on the matter during their meetings in Chicago this week. The site selection committee recommended the Badger States largest city be the host of the 2024 convention and themembers of the RNC should affirm that decision at their summer meetings. So why will it be in Milwaukee?

First, it is a turnkey proposal. The region was successful inwinning the bid for the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Arrangements for hotel accommodations, catering and other food services, security concerns, and other issues were worked out for a national political convention and can be used again in 2024.

In addition, much of the money raised for the 2020 convention comes from sources that can be tapped again for the 2024 convention. Most of the businesses, foundations, and individuals who were interested in hosting a convention in Milwaukee were motivated by civic pride and economic impact. The groundwork was done andis largely transferable to the next convention.

Overall, the local convention and visitors bureauVisit Milwaukeeput together an impressive proposal. Because they had done the same for the Democrats convention in 2020, the people making the recommendation for the RNC knew Milwaukee could deliver on their promises. The new Mayor of Milwaukee did an excellent job convincing the selection panel that they would be welcome. The chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party did a great job of bringing people together in the region. Local activist Gerard Randal helped lead the charge with former RNC Chairman Reince Preibus. John Hiller and others helped behind the scenes. It was a great team effort.

Many might not know this, but Milwaukee sits on the shores of Lake Michigan with one of the most open lakefronts in the Great Lakes region. It is the home of several professional sports teams, arts and entertainment, museums, an award-winning zoo, outstanding restaurants and bars, and Summerfestthe worlds largest music festival.

Second, the Fiserv Forum is a state-of-art facility perfect for hosting a national convention. The home of world champion Milwaukee Bucks is the second newest arena in the National Basketball Association. I was with members of the site selection committee when they toured the Fiserv Forum earlier this year. They were impressed with the complex. It has sufficient seating, excellent access for staging and equipment, and a remarkable entertainment area outside called the Deer District.

In addition, the Fiserv Forum was built with the latest technology.Chairman Preibus noted that it cost the party organizers around $1 million to install 5G equipment at the arena in Cleveland, Ohio for the 2016 national convention. That technology is already built into the Fiserv Forum.

Financing for the new construction was unique. In Wisconsin, professional basketball players (home and visiting teams) pay a prorated income tax for each game. These funds were used to cover the commitment from the state government. The current and former owners of the team matched the public commitment to the newarena. Unlike most sports construction projects, it was done without a new or increased tax.

Overall, the pitch was simple: Milwaukee could match the plans of any of the other sites under consideration for the convention. Once we made the case that we were equal to or better than the other regions, my final push was to go to a state that matters.

In 2016, Wisconsin was key to the election of President DonaldTrump. In 2020, the reverse was true for President Joe Biden. In 2000 and 2004, the margin was less than one vote per ward across the state. Wisconsin is a true battleground state.

In contrast, the other finalist for the 2024 Republican National Convention is Nashville. It is a great city in a wonderful state. But Tennessee has not gone for a Democrat in a presidential election in decades. Even former Vice President Al Gore could not carry his home state twenty-two years ago. The electoral college votes of the Volunteer State are going for whomever the Republican candidate for President is in 2024.

With that in mind, why not pick a city in a state that matters?

Improving the margins in Milwaukee can help make that happen in 2024. Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson carried Milwaukee County in one of his re-election campaigns. And I was elected the Milwaukee County Executive three times in an area that traditionallyvotes for Democrats by about a two-to-one margin.

Making inroads in Milwaukee could help carry the State of Wisconsin,which might be the key to a Republican President winning in 2024. That is why all roads appear to be headed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the next Republican National Convention. We will have a cold beer ready for you!

Scott Walker is the president of Young Americas Foundation and served as the 45th governor of Wisconsin from 2011 to 2019.

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Why the Republican National Convention should be held in Milwaukee - Washington Times

Republican flamethrowers and culture warriors like Donald Trump and Representatives Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene typically draw an outsize amount of media attention.

Americans may conclude from this that there is a striking, and perhaps unfortunate, relationship between extremism and political success.

But Republicans arent hoping for a red wave in the midterms only because norm-thrashing or scandal sells. The truth is much more banal, yet also important for parties to internalize and better for politics generally: In states across the country, Republican governors are delivering real results for people they are physically more proximate to than federal officials.

Now, its true that the party that controls the presidency nearly always gets whipped in midterm elections, and inflation would be a huge drag on any party in power. And its also true that among those governors are culture warriors like Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas.

But people too often overlook the idea that actual results, especially ones related to pocketbook issues, can often be as important as rhetoric. Looked at that way, lots of Republicans some with high public profiles, and some who fly below the radar are excelling.

Start with the simplest measure: popularity. Across the country, 13 of the 15 most popular governors are Republicans. That list does not just include red states. In fact, blue-state Republican governors like Phil Scott of Vermont, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Larry Hogan of Maryland are among the most popular.

There are many reasons that G.O.P. governors seem to be succeeding. Its true that governors cant take credit for everything. Sometimes they just get lucky. But they do make policy choices, and those made by governors since the start of Covid have made a difference in particular.

For example, take a look at the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data on unemployment. In the 10 states with the lowest rates as of June, eight were led by Republican governors. Several governors who dont make frequent appearances in national news stand out, like Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, Spencer Cox of Utah and Phil Scott of Vermont. Their states have unemployment rates under 2.5 percent, and of the 20 states with the lowest unemployment rates, just four are led by Democrats.

States with Republican governors have also excelled in economic recovery since the start of the pandemic. Standouts in this measure include Mr. Abbott and Doug Ducey of Arizona.

These results reflect many things some states have grown and others have shrunk, for example but are at least in part a result of policy choices made by their elected leaders since the start of the pandemic. For example, governors like Kristi Noem in South Dakota often rejected lockdowns and economic closures.

Republican governors were also far more likely to get children back to in-person school, despite intense criticism.

Covid policy doesnt explain everything. Fiscal governance has also made a difference. The Cato Institutes Fiscal Report Card on Americas governors for 2020 (the most recent edition available), which grades them on tax and spending records, gives high marks to many Republicans. Nearly all of the top-ranked states in this report have Republican governors, like Kim Reynolds of Iowa or Mr. Ricketts. (Some Democratic governors also ranked highly, including Steve Sisolak of Nevada and Roy Cooper of North Carolina.) Some have made their mark with employer-attracting tax cuts, others with spending controls, others with a mixture.

Most states mandate a balanced budget, so taxing and spending policies are important for fiscal stability. Low taxes tend to attract and keep employers and employees. Restrained budgets help ensure that taxes can be kept low without sacrificing bond ratings, which may matter if debt-financed spending is needed in a crisis or to try to stimulate businesses to hire more.

Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas has cut taxes for individuals, reduced the number of tax brackets and cut the corporate income tax rate. Mr. Sununu has restrained spending, vetoed a payroll tax proposal and cut business taxes. Brian Kemp of Georgia, by contrast, actually paused some tax cuts that had been scheduled and focused almost exclusively on spending restraint, issuing a directive for state agencies to generate budget cuts and keeping 2020 general fund growth to a tiny 1 percent.

Even in blue Vermont, Mr. Scott despite being an odd duck among governors because he is not constrained by a balanced-budget amendment kept the increase in general fund spendingto an annual average of just 2.4 percent between 2017 and 2020, and he has also cut taxes. He signed a bill to ensure that the federal tax reform instituted under Mr. Trump and limiting state and local tax deductions wouldnt result in Vermonters getting hammered. He has also cut individual income tax rates, reduced the number of tax brackets and resisted new payroll taxes in favor of voluntary paid leave plans for private-sector employers.

Republicans who have a big impact on the day-to-day lives of many Americans unlike, say, Representative Kevin McCarthy or certainly Mr. Trump, and in terms of the quality of state economies, local job markets and education are delivering. In our federalist system, a lot of power still sits with states and not the federal government and determines much about citizens lives.

This is a big reason that Republicans are well positioned heading into the midterms. It should be a warning to Joe Biden and Democrats and to some of the culture warriors. Cable-news combat over whatever the outrage of the day is may deliver politicians the spotlight. But sound economic policy and focusing on the job, not theatrics, are delivering basic day-to-day results that Americans want, need and will reward.

Liz Mair (@LizMair), a strategist for campaigns by Scott Walker, Roy Blunt, Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina and Rick Perry, is the founder and president of Mair Strategies.

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Opinion | These Republican Governors Are Delivering Results, and Many Voters Like Them for It - The New York Times

Republicans are "telling themselves lies" and hoping Donald Trump will simply go away, according to a biographer.

Tim O'Brien, the author of TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald and senior executive editor of Bloomberg Opinion, made the remarks on Mary Trump's podcast.

People "routinely discount how damaging and destructive" Trump can be, O'Brien said.

"I think we we know how dangerous it would be to pretend that Donald is not a problem anymore. That if we just ignore him, he'll go away," added Mary Trump, the former president's niece and a frequent critic.

But as the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol continues to present damning evidence about Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, she said it was also important "to talk about his enablers and the people who use him for their own ends, and the people he uses."

O'Brien said Trump had a "reptilian sensibility about other people's vulnerability" and said some in his orbit "overestimate who he is."

Another group view Trump as "their useful idiot, someone who they think they can manipulate or use to further their financial or political or social ends," he said.

O'Brien continued: "I am surprised by the willingness of people who can see right in front of themselves what he's doing.

"Of the entire GOP, major institution, outside of political institutions, law enforcement, business institutions, academic institutions, and they essentially tell themselves lies and delude themselves, I think, in the belief that he might go away or he won't be bad or that he can be channeled to get their own goal enabled and realized.

"And time and time again, he takes advantage of them. All of them. Each and every single one of them."

O'Brien went on to warn that "Trumpism" would not be going away even if Trump does not win a second term in the White House in 2024.

"Trumpism isn't going away... [it] inhabits a bigger part of the Republican Party than when Donald first descended," he said. "And I think that we're going to be living with that for a long time whether or not he becomes president."

During the podcast, Mary Trump also said that while Trump is clearly paying attention to the January 6 hearings, they would not have any impact on his behavior.

"Donald's paying attention to January 6, but it's not going to modify his behavior in any way," she said.

Newsweek has contacted Trump's spokeswoman and the Republican National Committee for comment.

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Republicans Lying to Themselves and Hoping Trump Will Go Away: Biographer - Newsweek

As the lone Republican in the New York City congressional delegation, Representative Nicole Malliotakis has adopted certain stances that would make her an understandable outlier in a deeply Democratic city.

Just days after taking office in early 2021, she voted to discard the legitimate 2020 election results, voting for a debunked conspiracy theory that claimed President Donald J. Trump actually won the election. She followed up by voting against Mr. Trumps second impeachment as a result of the deadly Capitol riots of Jan. 6, 2021.

But as she seeks re-election in November, Ms. Malliotakis has tried to tread a finer line around guns and abortion, two polarizing social issues that have taken on added prominence in light of recent Supreme Court decisions. (In June, the court overturned the federal right to abortion, as well as a New York law governing concealed weapons.)

On guns, for example, Ms. Malliotakis has voiced some support for new regulations, even voting for several Democratic gun control bills proffered in the wake of the massacres in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas. She later, however, voted against the omnibus bill package, contending that it was constitutionally suspect and represented a partisan overreach.

Ms. Malliotakis opposes abortion rights, favoring restrictions on using taxpayer funding for the procedure and on late-term abortions. But she has said that she believes that abortion should be allowed under certain circumstances, such as when the life of the mother is at risk.

But Ms. Malliotakis has also tried to maintain some distance from the courts decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, saying in a recent interview that she didnt weigh in on it. Yet earlier this month, the congresswoman voted against a pair of bills that would have banned states from restricting abortions and prohibited them from blocking access to out-of-state abortion services.

Republicans, who are expected to fare well in Novembers midterm elections, have long fought to overturn Roe. Yet some of the partys candidates have not rushed to embrace the Dobbs ruling, wary of alienating voters who, according to polls, may be swayed by social issues in ways that help Democrats.

Ms. Malliotakis is a prime example. Her district encompasses Staten Island and a swath of southwest Brooklyn, some of the citys most conservative areas. Yet New York remains an overwhelmingly Democratic city, and the recent Supreme Court rulings were profoundly unpopular here.

So, like many of her Republican colleagues, Ms. Malliotakis, a first-term congresswoman, is instead trying to steer the conversation toward bottom-line issues like inflation and high gas prices.

People are struggling putting gas in their tanks, putting food on their tables, paying their bills, Ms. Malliotakis said in a recent interview.

For some people who are single-issue individuals, it could potentially have an impact, she added, of her statements on guns and abortion. But I know that crime and pocketbook issues are the most important issues to the people I represent.

Ms. Malliotakis is expected to easily win her Republican primary next month against John Matland, a badly underfunded rival, setting her up for a likely rematch against Max Rose, the former Democratic congressman whom she unseated in 2020.

Mr. Rose, a combat veteran who was wounded in Afghanistan and awarded the Bronze Star, has sought to tie Ms. Malliotakis to the extreme elements of the Republican Party, including Mr. Trump, and to the Capitol riot by the presidents supporters, saying he is running to protect the soul of America.

Everything that our country was built upon wasnt just spit at: They tried to destroy it, he said during a campaign walkabout on July 11 in Bay Ridge. And even after even after Nicole, and everyone else in Congress who were almost killed, they still voted to decertify.

He is also openly derisive of Ms. Malliotakiss seeming duality on some hot-button issues, mocking her limited embrace of gun control, for example, as nothing more than a few ceremonial votes.

When it came time for the package to be voted on, as she always does, she played both sides, he said, referring to the omnibus bill. Voted for it before she voted against it. Who knows whats going on here?

Mr. Rose has also held a handful of public events after the Supreme Court ruling on abortion including one at Ms. Malliotakiss Brooklyn district office in Bay Ridge to portray her as out of touch with her district, even on Staten Island, saying the congresswoman is on the wrong side of history.

I generally do believe that when it comes down to it, people are on the side of women having the opportunity to make those decisions for themselves, he said.

In recent weeks, Mr. Rose continued that line of attack, saying the congresswoman had tweeted over 180 times and issued 13 press releases since the Dobbs decision, but has said nothing about millions of women losing control over their bodies.

When asked specifically about the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe, Ms. Malliotakis demurred.

My constituents, they know that nothing is going to change in New York, she said. The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, so we have to accept the Supreme Courts decision regardless.

Ms. Malliotakiss comments have also given fodder to her opponents on the right, including Mr. Matland, a health care worker who lost his job for refusing to be vaccinated, and who is seeking to oust Ms. Malliotakis in the Aug. 23 primary with a low-budget, anti-establishment campaign.

Mr. Matland, who is making his first run for public office, said that Ms. Malliotakis has often alienated the Republican base, and that she has only been voted into office because of her name recognition she served five terms in the State Assembly and ran unsuccessfully in 2017 for mayor of New York City and her districts aversion to Democratic candidates.

People say I only voted for her and Im guilty of this myself because I thought she was a much better option than Max Rose, Mr. Matland said, adding, And thats the exact reason we have primaries: so we can get a better option.

Considering the likelihood of a tough year for Democrats nationally, most observers think that Mr. Rose will have an uphill battle in November, assuming he wins his primary in August against two challengers: Brittany Ramos DeBarros, a progressive community activist, and Komi Agoda-Koussema, an educator.

Mr. Roses campaign was also dealt a setback earlier this year when a state judge threw out new Democrat-drawn congressional lines that could have tilted the district heavily in his favor. The refashioned lines, drawn by a redistricting expert in May, left the district looking largely the same, though its section of Brooklyn about half as populous as the Staten Island portion did favor President Biden over Mr. Trump by about 12 points in the 2020 election.

Ms. Malliotakis accused Mr. Rose of entering the race only because he thought they were going to change the lines in his favor.

The good news about reruns is we know how they end, Ms. Malliotakis said of her rematch against Mr. Rose.

Vito Fossella, the Republican who serves as the Staten Island borough president, echoed that sentiment, saying he didnt see how the dynamics of the race have changed much since 2020, and suggesting that abortion and guns would not be major issues for Staten Island voters.

On balance, what people care about is Are we safe? Are we comfortable economically? Do we have a brighter future? said Mr. Fossella, who is a supporter of Ms. Malliotakis.

A path to re-election for Ms. Malliotakis, 41, will likely include a big win on the islands South Shore, a Republican stronghold, to offset the more liberal neighborhoods in the north. And for South Shore residents like Edward Carey, a retired banking executive who winters in Florida but has a house in the Eltingville neighborhood, Ms. Malliotakis is already a sure thing. He noted the backing of Mr. Fossella, as well as other factors.

Shes a Republican, shes a woman, shes young, said Mr. Carey, 83, a registered Republican who said the last Democrat he voted for was John F. Kennedy. Thats good enough for me.

Still, State Senator Diane J. Savino, a moderate Democrat who has represented the north part of Staten Island for nearly two decades, said you cannot pinpoint Staten Island voters.

Its not that theyre Republican or Democrat, left-leaning or right-leaning: Its whether or not that candidate speaks to what touches Staten Islanders, she said, noting the islands recent history of vacillating between parties. Anybody who thinks that they can put their finger on the pulse of Staten Island voters doesnt know what theyre talking about.

She also criticized Ms. Malliotakis for being wishy-washy on critical issues, but noted that voters dont seem to care.

Up until now, Nicole has skirted on this, Ms. Savino said, referring to Ms. Malliotakiss anti-abortion votes in Washington and Albany. No one ever holds her accountable. So I dont think thats going to drive voters here. Whats going to drive voters is whether or not they think theyre going to have someone who is going to fight for them in Washington.

Vin DeRosa, a patron at Jodys Club Forest, a popular bar near the North Shore where Mr. Rose has been known to drink, is a registered Democrat but said he considers himself an independent who votes for the person rather than the party line.

Mr. DeRosa, a retired telecommunications professional, said that he had voted for Mr. Rose in 2020, and that he likely would again, if only because of Ms. Malliotakiss association with Mr. Trump.

Im not sure I want a congressperson who has to call Mar-a-Lago, Mr. DeRosa said, to find out what to do.

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A New Yorkers Opposition to Abortion Clouds Her House Re-Election Bid - The New York Times

WASHINGTON (AP) A congressional candidate whose compelling personal story of military valor and tragic loss helped him win former President Donald Trumps support has connections to right-wing extremists, including a campaign consultant who was a member of the Proud Boys.

Republican Joe Kent, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington state in the Aug. 2 primary, has also courted prominent white nationalists and posed recently for a photograph with a media personality who has previously described Adolf Hitler as a complicated historical figure who many people misunderstand.

An Associated Press review of internet postings, court records and campaign finance disclosures depict a candidate with a more complicated biography than the compelling personal story that turned the 42-year-old Kent into a favorite of conservative media.

Square-jawed with wavy black hair and sleeve tattoos, the former Green Beret served 11 combat deployments before retiring from Special Forces to join the CIA. He also endured unspeakable tragedy: His wife, Shannon, a Navy cryptologist, was killed by a suicide bomber in 2019 while fighting the Islamic State group in Syria, leaving him to raise their two young sons alone.

Many [Republican] politicians play footsie with [right-wing extremist]. Kent is just unabashed.

But taken broadly, Kents recent relationships and activities reinforce concerns about the GOPs ties to extremist groups. The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has drawn attention to the role such organizations, particularly the Proud Boys, played in the effort to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power after Trumps re-election loss in 2020.

Theres a through line, said Dave Neiwert, an author and journalist who has covered right-wing extremism in the Pacific Northwest for decades. Many [Republican] politicians play footsie with it. Kent is just unabashed.

Kents campaign declined to make him available for an interview.

Joe Kents platform of inclusive populism rejects racism and bigotry and invites all Americans to support his aggressive America First agenda of rebuilding our industries, ending illegal immigration, and stopping stupid military interventions that dont directly support our national interest, Matt Braynard, a Kent strategist, said in a statement.

Ahead of the final slate of primaries that unfold in August, Kent is not the only House candidate worrying some Republicans who fear an otherwise favorable political climate to regain control of the House could be threatened by candidates seen as too extreme.

From the archives (December 2020): We just have to limit the damage that hes causing: Republican governor on risk Trump poses to a party that otherwise teems with 2022 confidence

In Michigan, John Gibbs, a former Trump administration official challenging Republican Rep. Peter Meijer, once spread false claims that Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign chairman participated in a satanic ritual that involved bodily fluids.

In New York, Carl Paladino, a former GOP candidate for governor now running for the House, praised Hitler last year as the kind of leader we need today and once emailed racist comments about Michelle Obama to a Buffalo newspaper for publication. And former Trump administration official Max Miller, the Republican nominee for an Ohio congressional seat, was accused of physical abuse by his ex-girlfriend, Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham. Miller denies the allegations and has sued Grisham for defamation.

A representative for the National Republican Congressional Committee, the organization responsible for helping the GOP regain control of the House, declined to comment, citing a policy of not interfering in primaries. A Trump spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Of those soon facing elections, Kent stands out for the breadth of his ties to a deep-seated extremist fringe that has long existed in the Pacific Northwest but is often obscured by the regions overwhelming liberal politics.

Campaign-finance disclosures reveal Kent recently paid $11,375 for consulting over the past four months to Graham Jorgensen, who was identified as a Proud Boy in a law enforcement report and was charged with cyber stalking his ex-girlfriend in 2018. The charges were dismissed in late 2019. But a judge in Vancouver, Wash., issued an order of protection requiring Jorgensen to stay away from her, records show.

Kents campaign said Jorgensen was a low-level worker who hands out literature and puts up signs and denied he has any current affiliation with outside organizations. They declined to make Jorgensen available for an interview.

Kent is also a close political ally of Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer. Since establishing the group in 2016, Gibson has organized demonstrations in Portland, as well as the citys Washington state suburbs, where he and his followers have clashed with left-wing groups. Many of the demonstrations were coordinated with the Proud Boys.

The often violent rallies organized by Gibson drew anti-government activists, extremists as well as white supremacists to unite in common cause namely fighting left-wing activists.

Photos from the events archived online by the group Rose City Antifa demonstrate how in some cases Kents allies have associated with people who have expressed white supremacist views. In numerous instances, Gibson as well as Jorgensen, the Proud Boy on Kents payroll, were recorded standing next to Jacob Von Ott, who has posted racist and antisemitic views online and expressed admiration for the founder of the American Nazi Party.

Von Ott did not respond to a request for comment sent to an email address listed to him, but he has previously denied that hes a white supremacist.

The danger with these groups is it can be an initial foray into this extremist space. And once youre in this extremist space, you can become further radicalized, said Emily Kaufman, an Anti-Defamation League researcher who tracks extremist activity in the Pacific Northwest.

Gibson regularly promotes Kents campaign on social media and spoke at a Kent fundraiser last year. When it was Kents turn to speak at the event, he lavished Gibson with praise, explaining that Gibson defended this community when our community was under assault from antifa.

Gibson was acquitted last week on felony riot charges after an altercation with left-wing activists at a Portland bar.

Kents ties to extremism arent limited to the Pacific Northwest.

Braynard, one of Kents top advisers, was the architect of a Washington, D.C., rally last year that sought to build sympathy for those arrested during the insurrection by rebranding them as political prisoners. Kent spoke at the rally, which was poorly attended.

And his candidacy is endorsed by far-right Arizona state lawmaker Wendy Rogers, who has identified herself as a member of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group that played an outsize role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol. Kent publicly thanked Rogers for her endorsement and has raised doubts about the circumstances that led to the arrest of Oath Keepers over their role in the attack.

Kent has also sought support from figures associated with the white nationalist Groyper Army movement led by Nick Fuentes, an internet personality who has promoted white supremacist beliefs and attended the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., as well as the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Kent has acknowledged that a political consultant set up a call early in his campaign that Fuentes was part of, where expanding his campaigns reach on social media was discussed. But he denied that there was any sort of formal arrangement and distanced himself from Fuentes in March after their affiliation became broadly known. Kent tweeted at the time that he did not want want Fuentess endorsement due his focus on race/religion.

After the rebuke, however, Kent appeared on a far-right YouTube channel where he echoed sentiments similar to those held by many white nationalists.

I dont think theres anything wrong with there being a white people special interest group, Kent said during the YouTube interview with a group called the American Populist Union. He also said the immigration situation between the U.S. and Mexico wasnt as bad as in Europe because their version of Mexico is Africa and the Middle East.

In April, Kent was photographed at a fundraiser giving a thumbs-up with Greyson Arnold, a Groyper-aligned commentator who identifies as a Christian American Nationalist. Like Fuentes, Arnold was also at the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection.

Arnold has shared memes online that refer to Nazis as a pure race and has called Hitler a complicated and misunderstood historical figure. He also hosted a White Boy Summer celebration in Lake Havasu, Arizona, in June 2021, drawing the events title from a popular meme that was circulating among white nationalists and racist groups.

Arnold did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Braynard, the Kent strategist, said the candidate does not know Arnold and the campaign does not do background checks on the thousands of people whove asked to take selfies with Joe.

Tom Davis, a former Virginia congressman who led House Republicans campaign arm during George W. Bushs first term, said GOP leadership in Washington, D.C., faces a difficult set of choices when deciding what to do about candidates like Kent.

You dont want to go too heavy on this guy because if hes nominated you want to hold the seat, said Davis. The problem for Republicans is you can probably get away with this in 50 districts in the country. But this does not strike me as the kind of district where you dont pay a price.

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Links to extremism moving out of the shadows in these Republican primaries - MarketWatch

Republican election officials in at least three states have refused to certify primary votes, in a sign of things to come amid the party's baseless election fraud crusade.

Numerous allies of former President Donald Trump have echoed his lies about voter fraud on the campaign trail. Trump-backed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Nevada U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt both claimed evidence of "election stealing" before any votes were cast. Colorado secretary of state candidate Tina Peters has twice demanded recounts of her Republican primary race after losing by double digits. Nevada gubernatorial candidate Joey Gilbert filed a lawsuit alleging that his GOP primary loss was a "mathematical impossibility," even after a recount he requested confirmed the results.

While candidates are free to challenge the results of their elections under various state guidelines, Trump-allied election officials pose a more insidious threat. Echoing the same false narratives as Trump and his endorsed candidates, county officials in New Mexico, Nevada and Pennsylvania have tried to circumvent state laws and refused to sign off on primary results.

Republican commissioners in Otero County, New Mexico last month refused to certify primary results in their GOP-dominated jurisdiction, citing unspecified concerns about Dominion voting machines. These apparently stem from TrumpWorld's crusade to stoke baseless allegations that the machines had "flipped" votes from Trump to Joe Biden. The Otero County commissioners ultimately relented and certified the votes amid concerns that they could go to jail after state officials took them to court.

Republican commissioners in rural Esmeralda County, Nevada, likewise refused to certify the 317 votes cast in the county last month, citing unspecified concerns about the election from residents. County officials ultimately relented after spending more than seven hours counting the 317 ballots by hand.

Three Republican-led counties in Pennsylvania Berks, Fayette and Lancaster have refused to count all valid votes from the May 17 primary election for Senate, Congress, governor and the state legislature for weeks over opposition to the state's rules regarding undated mail-in ballots.

Officials in all three counties informed the state last month that they would not count mail-in votes that had not been properly dated, according to the Associated Press.

Pennsylvania mail ballots instruct voters to write a date next to their signature on the outside of mail-in return envelopes, although these dates do not determine whether voters are eligible or if votes were cast on time. A federal appeals court ruled in May that undated mail-in ballots must be counted, ruling that the dates are "immaterial." The U.S. Supreme Court, even with three Trump-appointed justices,allowed the ruling to stand last month. A state court similarly ruled in the Republican Senate primary that undated ballots should be counted.

The Pennsylvania Department of State earlier this month sued the three counties, asking a state court to order them to include all valid ballots "even if the voter failed to write a date on the declaration printed on the ballot's return envelope."

The department said in the lawsuit that the handwritten date "is not necessary for any purpose, does not remedy any mischief and does not advance any other objective," and that "allowing just three county boards to exclude votes that all other county boards have included in their returns creates impermissible discrepancies in the administration of Pennsylvania's 2022 primary election."

"Interpreting Pennsylvania law to allow a county board of election to exclude a ballot from its final certified results because of a minor and meaningless irregularity, such as a voter omitting a date from the declaration on a timely received ballot, would fail to fulfill the purpose of the Pennsylvania Election Code and would risk a conflict with both the Pennsylvania Constitution and federal law," the lawsuit said.

"It is imperative that every legal vote cast by a qualified voter is counted," Molly Stieber, a spokeswoman for state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, told theNew York Times. "The 64 other counties in Pennsylvania have complied and accurately certified their election results. Counties cannot abuse their responsibility for running elections as an excuse to unlawfully disenfranchise voters."

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Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach said during an appearance in court on Thursday that he does not have "discretion to determine whether a date is material or immaterial."

"I simply am obligated to look at the clear language of the law that says undated and/or unsigned ballots will not be counted," he said during a hearing, claiming that rulings on the ballots have been "anything but clear."

Leinbach said he "could not in good conscience vote to certify undated ballots," adding that "this type of issue is what is causing a lack of trust in the system."

Lancaster County officials told the Philadelphia Inquirer the county had "properly certified" its results in accordance with state law and court orders.

"The Commonwealth's demand is contrary to the law or any existing court order," the county said. "The County will vigorously defend its position to follow the law to ensure the integrity of elections in Lancaster County."

Fayette County officials argued in a court filing that the state did not have the authority to force it to count the undated ballots, according to the AP, adding that the state had missed a deadline to appeal a county board decision. The county also cited ongoing litigation before the Supreme Court, which has yet to rule on the merits of the appellate court ruling.

It's unclear which way the Supreme Court may rule. Only Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch dissented in the earlier emergency order, arguing that the lower court ruling was "very likely wrong."

The American Civil Liberties Union defended the appellate court ruling after Alito's dissent.

"Every vote matters, and every valid vote should be counted. Voters may not be disenfranchised for a minor paperwork error like this one," ACLU attorney Ari Savitzky said in a statement. "The Third Circuit was correct in unanimously reaching that conclusion. We are thrilled for these voters that their ballots can finally now be counted, consistent with the requirements of federal law."

The dates on the absentee ballot envelopes neither help determine whether a voter is eligible nor whether the ballot was cast by the deadline, Matthew Weil, the director of the Elections Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center, said in a statement.

"Exploiting inconsequential errors or omissions to invalidate otherwise eligible ballots received by the deadline is poor policy and bad for democracy," he said. "The fact that the state already accepts ballots with incorrect or invalid dates only demonstrates how inconsequential this requirement is to determine the voter's and the ballot's eligibility."

Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias warned that the situation in Pennsylvania is "far more disturbing than those we have seen elsewhere."

The three counties have a combined population of over 1 million people, he noted, and the issue causing the counties to contest the results has "been fully litigated in both federal and state courts."

"Most importantly, these counties did not refuse to submit any election results at all. Worse, they submitted results that intentionally exclude lawful votes," he said, adding that "this is how Republicans are planning to steal elections in the future."

Nonpartisan election law experts agreed that the trend could cause chaos on a larger scale.

"Had this unfolded on this kind of timeline in 2020, it really could have created problems, because there would have been questions about whether the state could have actually named a slate of electors," Robert Yablon, a law professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, told the Times. "You could imagine there being disputed slates of electors that were sent to Congress, and it could have been a big mess."

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about the GOP's election crusade

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GOP officials refuse to certify primaries: This is how Republicans are planning to steal elections - Salon