'Convicted felon': Anti-Trump Republican group goes big on his new status
Drivers in the critical battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Arizona are being treated to a series of supersized roadside testimonials from erstwhile supporters of Donald Trump. "I'm a former Trump voter. I won't vote for a convicted felon," each billboard reads, alongside a name and a prominently placed picture of onetime Trump voters who plan to reject him in November. The new billboards are part of a six-figure buy from the anti-Trump group Republican Accountability PAC, which created the Republican Voters Against Trump site featuring attestations of voters who have turned against the former president. Overall, the PAC plans to plough $50 million into defeating Trump this cycle by cultivating an anti-Trump coalition. The center-right group's focus on Trump's status as a “convicted felon” comes at the same time President Joe Biden has begun to embrace the term in his own speeches. "This campaign has entered uncharted territory," Biden told attendees at a campaign event in Greenwich, Connecticut, on Monday. "For the first time in American history, a former president is convicted—a convicted felon. He’s now seeking the office of the presidency." While the label is undeniably true, a debate arose in Democratic circles last week about how much the Biden campaign should use it following Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts. The New Republic's Greg Sargent reported that the campaign has no plans to use the guilty verdict in paid advertising. It remains to be seen if the Biden campaign will lean heavily into Trump’s criminal status. But the Republican Accountability PAC views Trump's conviction as an inflection point in the campaign. "This race is going to be decided by voters who have negative views of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden—the double-haters," Gunner Ramer, political director of the anti-Trump PAC, told Daily Kos in an email. "In our focus groups, it’s clear that many of these voters’ frustrations with Biden are top-of-mind. But with this conviction, Trump is back at the center of American politics for being convicted by a jury of his peers on 34 felony counts because he cheated on his wife with a porn star and made fraudulent payments to keep her quiet." The PAC’s placement of the billboards is no accident. Ramer said they view Biden's most realistic path to victory running through the "blue wall" states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with the addition of Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, to reach 270 electoral votes. But these anti-Trumpers still believe Arizona is in play. "An abortion referendum there and Kari Lake as the Senate candidate makes it highly competitive," Ramer said. Ramer stressed that a winning formula in November isn't necessarily a pro-Biden coalition: It's building on an anti-Trump coalition that he called "essential" to defeating Trump back in 2020. "This development will certainly remind this crucial segment of voters of everything they despise about Trump: his lawlessness, his disgusting behavior toward women, and his unfitness for office," he said. To Ramer, the criminal conviction provides yet "another barrier" for conflicted Trump voters who are still on the fence about their vote. Highlighting that conviction, he added, would play "a major role" in the group's messaging strategy moving forward. "When voters head to the polls in November, they are going to have to make a choice between an incumbent president who they have some disagreements with, and a literal convicted felon," Ramer said. "That is certainly going to make it easier for these voters to cast their ballot for Biden." Never again! No felons in the White House! Every day brings a new prognostication that is making President Joe Biden's campaign operatives worry or freak out. Is Donald Trump running away with the election? No. Not even close. Embedded Content
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Drivers in the critical battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Arizona are being treated to a series of supersized roadside testimonials from erstwhile supporters of Donald Trump.
"I'm a former Trump voter. I won't vote for a convicted felon," each billboard reads, alongside a name and a prominently placed picture of onetime Trump voters who plan to reject him in November.
The new billboards are part of a six-figure buy from the anti-Trump group Republican Accountability PAC, which created the Republican Voters Against Trump site featuring attestations of voters who have turned against the former president. Overall, the PAC plans to plough $50 million into defeating Trump this cycle by cultivating an anti-Trump coalition.
The center-right group's focus on Trump's status as a “convicted felon” comes at the same time President Joe Biden has begun to embrace the term in his own speeches.
"This campaign has entered uncharted territory," Biden told attendees at a campaign event in Greenwich, Connecticut, on Monday. "For the first time in American history, a former president is convicted—a convicted felon. He’s now seeking the office of the presidency."
While the label is undeniably true, a debate arose in Democratic circles last week about how much the Biden campaign should use it following Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts. The New Republic's Greg Sargent reported that the campaign has no plans to use the guilty verdict in paid advertising.
It remains to be seen if the Biden campaign will lean heavily into Trump’s criminal status. But the Republican Accountability PAC views Trump's conviction as an inflection point in the campaign.
"This race is going to be decided by voters who have negative views of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden—the double-haters," Gunner Ramer, political director of the anti-Trump PAC, told Daily Kos in an email. "In our focus groups, it’s clear that many of these voters’ frustrations with Biden are top-of-mind. But with this conviction, Trump is back at the center of American politics for being convicted by a jury of his peers on 34 felony counts because he cheated on his wife with a porn star and made fraudulent payments to keep her quiet."
The PAC’s placement of the billboards is no accident. Ramer said they view Biden's most realistic path to victory running through the "blue wall" states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with the addition of Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, to reach 270 electoral votes.
But these anti-Trumpers still believe Arizona is in play.
"An abortion referendum there and Kari Lake as the Senate candidate makes it highly competitive," Ramer said.
Ramer stressed that a winning formula in November isn't necessarily a pro-Biden coalition: It's building on an anti-Trump coalition that he called "essential" to defeating Trump back in 2020.
"This development will certainly remind this crucial segment of voters of everything they despise about Trump: his lawlessness, his disgusting behavior toward women, and his unfitness for office," he said.
To Ramer, the criminal conviction provides yet "another barrier" for conflicted Trump voters who are still on the fence about their vote. Highlighting that conviction, he added, would play "a major role" in the group's messaging strategy moving forward.
"When voters head to the polls in November, they are going to have to make a choice between an incumbent president who they have some disagreements with, and a literal convicted felon," Ramer said. "That is certainly going to make it easier for these voters to cast their ballot for Biden."
Never again! No felons in the White House!
Every day brings a new prognostication that is making President Joe Biden's campaign operatives worry or freak out. Is Donald Trump running away with the election? No. Not even close.
