Republicans have been saying the quiet part out loud for much of the Donald Trump presidency, as though his brash, bull-in-a-china-shop approach freed them, making it okay to say some more questionable things they traditionally tried to obscure. That’s gone double for the 2020 election. Back in April, when it first became clear that the pandemic would necessitate a dramatic rise in mail-in ballots to safely hold an election, Trump himself came right out and blasted the quiet part, saying that if everyone mail-in voted — i.e., if it was easier, or at least not hard, for everyone to do their civic duty — “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.” Half a year later, he lost re-election to Joe Biden.
Now Newt Gingrich is effectively repeating the president’s gaffe. The former House Speaker — one of the Clinton era’s most formidable Republican boogeyman, who occasionally makes waves these days as a commentator — took to Twitter Sunday to blast the efforts in Georgia to make voting in the upcoming pair of Senate runoff elections easier and less dangerous.
Why is Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger working so hard to add drop boxes and take other steps to make it harder for Republicans to win. Is he really that intimidated by Stacey Abrams?
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) December 13, 2020
“Why is Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger working so hard to add drop boxes and take other steps to make it harder for Republicans to win,” Gingrich wrote. “Is he really that intimidated by Stacey Abrams?”
As with Trump’s remarkable statement back in April, it’s a marvel of undisguised villainy, unambiguously stating that it’s “harder for Republicans to win” when it’s easier to vote. After all, those voting for Republican candidates could use those drop boxes, too. Then there’s the dog whistle business about Stacey Abrams, the former candidate for governor in Georgia who helped turn out the vote in November and is doing the same thing for the runoff election on January 5.
But most people glommed onto the first part — the one where Newt admitted that when more Americans vote, Republicans tend to lose.
Newt Gingrich wonders why Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State is taking modest steps to allow people to vote safely making it “harder for Republicans to win” https://t.co/xHfsFtId0u
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) December 13, 2020
It's called a free and fair election, Newt. Now, back to The Vatican with you. https://t.co/O8WZaZX2K4
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) December 13, 2020
Why would making it easier for people to vote safely make it harder for Republicans to win?? Oh right… because Republicans generally win by suppressing votes and discouraging high turnout. Thanks for confirming, Newt! 👍🏿 https://t.co/vo0zz8MNok
— Mkay (@JoyAnnReid) December 13, 2020
Stacey Abrams spent years saying this but then Newt just… blurted it out.
Republicans need to keep people from voting to win. https://t.co/UFRr0lkUeH
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) December 13, 2020
https://twitter.com/ThespisMcF/status/1338223021572689923
https://twitter.com/richardhine/status/1338198909844328449
You’re busted Newt. Making it easier for more people to vote in a pandemic (the usual fraud claims have been exposed as nonsense), resulting in more people voting “makes it harder for Republicans to win”. Guess you think you have to suppress the vote to win. What a disgrace. https://t.co/7NYcVTNOtI
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) December 13, 2020
https://twitter.com/waltshaub/status/1338229411309621250
I love it when Republicans admit that the only chance they have of 'winning' is by blocking access to the polls.
The answer, though, is that he's doing the job he was elected to do, Newt.
It shocks even Republicans when Republicans do an honest day's work.
— Annie Gabston-Howell- (@AnnieGabstonH) December 13, 2020
Others brought up Newt’s checkered past, too.
Newt Gingrich, an old white retired republican, is currently attacking Stacey Abrams for encouraging Georgians to vote in the senate run-offs. Newt served his wife divorce papers as she was in the hospital recovering from cancer treatment. I’m not a big fan of Newt. Are you?
— The Gen Z Perspective Newsletter (@uncvrngthetruth) December 13, 2020
Georgia’s Senate run-off happens on January 5. It’s been a rocky road to get there; just last week there were two key debates — one where the Republican incumbent didn’t even show up, another where the Republican incumbent inspired a deadly drinking game.