GOP group advises caution on full-scale Biden attacks: Axios

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
26 Mar 2024 13:04

In a significant development, a confidential memo from the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) has surfaced, warning party candidates against solely targeting Biden as a strategy for success in the upcoming November elections.

US President Joe Biden answers questions about “Israel” after speaking about the Special Counsel report at the White House in Washington, on February 8, 2024. (AFP)

A Republican Party committee is cautioning its candidates in private that solely targeting President Biden will not be enough to secure victory in November, according to Axios. The committee stressed that Biden does not have the same negative impact on down-ballot candidates as some past presidents have had.

Dee Duncan, the president of the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), advised against making the election solely about Joe Biden. The memo emphasized the need for campaigns to avoid overly relying on Biden as a focal point and instead urged candidates to make a positive case for GOP policies.

Duncan contended that focusing solely on criticizing Biden, without presenting a more substantial policy argument, was a key reason behind the underperformance of Republicans in the 2022 midterms.

"We must learn from the missteps of the 2022 cycle and not solely target Joe Biden in our campaign messaging," he wrote.

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Referring to an internal poll from the committee's affiliated 501c4 policy group, Duncan highlighted that supporting Joe Biden for president made voters only 46% less likely to support a state legislative candidate.

Additionally, Duncan guided Republicans on addressing in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures following recent political controversies, particularly after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling. According to the poll, voters were 58% more likely to support a candidate who voted for protections for doctors and fertility clinics involved in assisting patients with IVF treatments.

The RSLC asserted that the Democratic Party's emphasis on preserving abortion rights and democracy wasn't sufficient to overcome voter concerns about the economy, crime, and illegal immigration. Their internal poll indicated that fewer voters prioritized abortion rights and democracy as their top concerns.

The report suggested that it remains uncertain whether former President Trump or Republican congressional candidates will adopt the RSLC's strategy regarding Biden.

While Trump's campaign has outlined a detailed policy agenda, it has primarily centered on framing his campaign as a referendum on Biden, given the president's diminished approval ratings. However, according to RSLC polling, down-ballot Republicans may face challenges in solely focusing on Biden, as he doesn't seem to evoke the same level of polarization or motivation among voters.

Abhi Rahman, the communications director for the RSLC's Democratic Party counterpart, said as quoted by Axios that "nearly every Republican down-ballot running for office is a MAGA Trump Republican."

He stressed, "The Republican Party has lost virtually every major election since Trump's takeover."