President Donald Trump salutes as he steps off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House,

The Trump campaign's emails may help prosecutors in a criminal investigation into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The panel:

Greg Bluestein — Political reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alan Abramowitz — Professor emeritus of political science, Emory University

Andra Gillespie — Professor of political science & director, James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference, Emory University

Rick Dent — Vice president, Matrix Communications          

 

The breakdown:

1. A leaked email to a fake slate GOP electors may help prosecutors in a criminal investigation.

  • A leaked email gave instructions to fake GOP electors to lie to the press in their attempt to thwart President Joe Biden's victory in 2020. 
  • The email could help prosecutors in the criminal investigation into Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. 
  • Emory University professor Andra Gillespie said that the emails show intent to overturn the election. 
  • Electors are chosen the summer before a presidential election, but the Republicans involved in the conspiracy were not chosen. 

 

2. Crossover voting causes some Republicans to push for closed primaries.

  • GOP congressional candidate Vernon Jones and some other Republicans are pushing to move Georgia to a closed primary system. 

    • They believe that crossover voting caused some Trump-endorsed candidates to lose. 
  • Georgia does not require that voters declare a party before voting in the primary.
  • Crossover voting is not common, Gillespie pointed out. 
  • Republican leaders have not shown interest in moving to a closed primary system. 

Best of Alan Abramowitz on crossover voting in primary elections

3. Negative ads get push ahead of November 2022 election. 

  • Campaign finance expert Rick Dent notes that more negative ads have been pushed early during this election cycle. 
  • Candidates have chosen to target many ads against their opponents, and have focused less on policy, the panelists said. 
  • The ads are aimed at influencing a small amount of swing voters, and to energize the party's own base to get out and vote. 
  • Republican ads against Stacey Abrams have used a stereotypical "angry Black woman" trope. 

 

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