Leavitt Says Trump Is 'Defiant' Against Midterm Headwinds and Is Telling Infrequent Voters to Show Up Anyway
In a Fox interview in New Hampshire, the former press secretary says the president knows history favors the opposition, is barnstorming the country and is leaning on a Republican cash advantage.
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says President Trump plans to fight through a hard midterm map, Fox News reports. She spoke to Fox News Digital this week in her home state of New Hampshire, nine days before the Nov. 3 election.
The mood. "The president is defiant, and he always is optimistic," Leavitt said. She said Trump "totally understands that history is not on the Republican side right now," since the party in power usually loses seats in a midterm, but that is "not stopping him from going out and barnstorming the country." She said he has been everywhere this week from North Carolina to South Carolina and will be in Michigan again this weekend.
The turnout pitch. Leavitt said Trump is being "frank and honest" with supporters who skip midterms: "I know you don't turn out in midterm cycles, but we need you to this time." Fox describes this as a low-propensity voter problem for Republicans.
Her argument. She framed the race as a choice between "commonsense Republican conservative candidates" who want lower taxes and a secure border and "radical extreme liberal crazy candidates." She also said Republicans have "a huge cash advantage across the country."
The headwinds. Fox lists persistent grocery inflation, high gas prices tied to an Iran war that polls show is unpopular, and Trump's negative approval ratings. It quotes Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin saying Republicans are "running scared" and spending in the reddest areas.
Note for readers: Leavitt is a Trump ally and her claims about the cash advantage and Trump's outlook are hers. Fox does not give figures for either side's fundraising in this piece. We read Fox's report, not a transcript of the interview.