After repeatedly denouncing early and mail-in voting, former President Donald Trump is now urging Republicans to use these methods to beat the Democrats in the 2024 election.
Just days after facing criminal charges in a New York Court, former President Donald Trump sat down with Will Cain, Pete Hegseth, and Rachel Campos-Duffy, hosts of "FOX & Friends Weekend." During the exclusive interview, Trump called on Republicans to utilize all available resources, including early voting and absentee balloting, to defeat the Democrats.
This move marks a significant shift from Trump's previous rhetoric on early voting. Four years ago, he condemned these practices, accusing them of facilitating massive election fraud. However, in a recent statement, Trump emphasized the importance of massive turnout, stating, "Whether you vote absentee, by mail, early in-person, or on election day, we are going to protect the vote... The way to win is to swamp them [Democrats], if we swamp them with votes they can't cheat."
Democrats have traditionally shown higher participation rates in early voting. Recognizing this, the Republican National Committee (RNC) under former chair Ronna McDaniel initiated the "Bank the Vote" campaign, an early-voting initiative. The Trump campaign's "Swamp The Vote USA" effort is seen as a continuation of this program.
Despite his past criticisms of early voting, Trump has recently made contradictory statements. At a Michigan rally three months ago, he described early voting as "totally corrupt" and "a hoax." However, at an April event in Pennsylvania, he compared it to "stealing" the vote. Trump also expressed concerns about the integrity of mail-in voting, yet advised supporters to vote by absentee or mail-in.
The Biden campaign has highlighted Trump's inconsistency, accusing him of spreading misinformation about voting for years. "Trump has spent years saying early and mail in voting was 'fraudulent,' 'cheating,' and 'crooked,'" said James Singer, campaign spokesperson.
The Trump campaign's newfound support for early voting is part of its "Trump Force 47" program, a grassroots initiative focusing on mobilizing voters in critical areas. Despite Trump's recent fundraising surge and favorable polling numbers, his campaign faces a deficit in ground game compared to the Biden campaign.
The former president's call for Republicans to "swamp" Democrats through early voting reflects a shift in strategy and underscores the significance of grassroots outreach and GOTV efforts in the upcoming election.
