Priebus: Trump Voters Not Republican Voters
Former RNC chairman Reince Priebus highlights differences between Trump and Republican voters in midterms.
2 min read
During this week’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Night in America,” former Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus addressed the midterm election outcomes, offering insights into the party’s performance and future strategy. Priebus, a former White House aide, emphasized the distinct nature of Trump supporters compared to traditional Republican voters.
Midterm Challenges and Lessons
Priebus told host Trey Gowdy that the party’s struggles in the midterms were a result of a shift in its voter base. He noted that Trump voters are not the same as Republican voters, a key factor in the party’s inability to win midterm elections despite its success in presidential races.
“Welcome, Counselor. What happened Tuesday night, and what if anything could have prevented or mitigated it?” Gowdy asked. Priebus replied, “Well, you know what? There’s a lot to talk about. I’ll try to highlight a couple of quick things. Number one, two years you can go from a landslide to a mudslide, and you can go from a mudslide to a landslide in two years after that.”
Strategic Shifts and Voter Turnout
Priebus used his experience as RNC chairman to illustrate the party’s transformation from a struggling organization to a powerful one. He recounted how the RNC faced a $26 million debt and had to take a second mortgage to fund its first payroll, ultimately leading to a successful presidential campaign.
“We had nothing. We were destroyed. We came back four years later, we had everything,” Priebus said. “Same at the RNC, $26 million in debt. I took a second mortgage out on my house to make the first payroll, and we won the House, we won the Senate, we won the presidency.”
Priebus also highlighted the importance of strategic investments, such as the $200 million to $250 million spent in Texas. He explained that while the party had no cash advantage in other states, the focus on Texas helped shape the election outcomes.
Early Voting and Turnout Strategies
“What happened was everywhere outside of Texas, we were playing with even money. We had no cash advantage anywhere, and so those two things really made a huge difference,” Priebus continued. He also emphasized the importance of studying early and Election Day voting trends, noting that the party’s early vote bucket performance was similar to 2022, yet the outcomes differed significantly.
“On the early vote bucket, we were pretty close to 2022, and it turned out, like in a state like Wisconsin, if you looked at the total vote of 2026 and 2022, it was almost the same. Except Ron Johnson won in 2022, and we got crushed in 2026. Why? Because to my point, we are turning out voters that are not our voters. We might be turning out what we think are Trump voters, but they weren’t buying what we were selling,” Priebus concluded.
Source: Breitbart
