Scoop: Democrats ding GOP's "blind loyalty" to Trump in new attacks
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Former President Trump in New York City on Thursday. Photo: James Devaney/GC Images.
House Democrats campaign arm is accusing Biden-district Republicans of "blind loyalty" to Donald Trump over their ardent defenses of the former president following his guilty verdict, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It's an early indicator of how Democrats plan to use the verdict – and Republicans' unwavering support of Trump in the aftermath – on the campaign trail.
- A Democratic strategist working on House races told Axios that their messaging plan is to cast defending Trump as indicative of a broader lack of independence.
Driving the news: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is firing off press releases targeting every Republican in a district President Biden won in 2020 who defends Trump.
- So far, the DCCC has determined that's eight out of a total of 16 Biden-district Republicans.
- The releases accuse each lawmaker of rushing to "bend the knee" to Trump and displaying "blind loyalty to the first former U.S. President ever convicted of a felony," according to a copy first shared with Axios.
- DCCC spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre, in a release targeting Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.), said he is "all too eager to attack an independent jury of New Yorkers just to serve his convicted felon, wannabe dictator party boss."
A spokesperson for Williams did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The other side: The National Republican Congressional Committee is training its fire on the five Democrats in districts that Trump won in 2020.
- Just one, Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), has weighed in so far, saying he respects the jury's decision and has "no doubt that information about this verdict will feature in the campaign."
- Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's (D-Wash.) campaign, asked about the verdict, referred Axios to a post on X about fish conservation in Southwest Washington.
- "Trump district Democrats are hiding in the bushes refusing to comment on their party's weaponization of the justice system to convict President Trump because they endorse Joe Biden's kangaroo court," said NRCC spokesperson Will Reinert.
Zoom in: House Majority PAC, House Democrats' main super PAC, took a slightly different tack, issuing releases attributing the statement "I Support Crime" to Biden-district Republicans.
- It's a call-back to a series of NRCC releases earlier this month attributing the statement "I support Hamas" to Democrats who voted against forcing the transfer of munitions Israel.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with an additional response.
