Pennsylvania Republicans reconsider their war on mail voting

[JoeOtterbein]

Politico

GOP officials in the state are coming to the belief that it’s better to work within the system than politically die by it.

By HOLLY OTTERBEIN

12/02/2022 04:30 AM EST

PHILADELPHIA — For the past two years, Republican officials in the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania have blasted mail voting, firing off lawsuits and bills aimed at crippling the balloting method that has become increasingly popular post-pandemic.

In the wake of a midterm cycle that proved disastrous for them, they’re wondering if their antipathy to the idea cost them the election.

“There’s no question in my mind that Republicans have to have a different mail-in strategy,” said Andy Reilly, a Republican National Committeeman in Pennsylvania. “When one party votes for 30 days and one party votes for one, you’re definitely going to lose.”

Across the country, the GOP’s disappointing midterm results have kicked off hand-wringing about the party’s attitude toward early voting and mail ballots. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley — both potential 2024 GOP presidential candidates — have said recently that Republicans can’t simply ignore the voting mechanisms Democrats have taken advantage of.

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more at link

[halfulglas]

1. The war on mail in voting was only part of it.

They should also consider their extreme positions on turning the state into Gilead another part of it, not to mention...........

[Hiawatha Pete]

2. +1

[Mr.Bill]

9. They should reconsider their

war on qualified sensible candidates.

[grantcart]

10. No they should double down and try harder.

If mail in voting is bad because more Dems vote by mail now then they should expand their logic to say, political ads. If Democratic ads make more sense by using spoken language to make convincing arguments then they should consider political ads that only use sign language.

[JT45242]

3. the ones Rethugs used for years to get old people to vote for them ...

Never understood why old folks vote for the party that wants to take away social security and medicare (of course I know, the R party hates the same people that old white people do)...

It used to be that they would count on all those old mail in votes to overtake the younger Dems who had to wait in line on election Tuesday. TFG's rants against it (plus likely a million dead rethuglicans form Covid) likely cost them in 2020 and in 2022.

[liberalguilt57]

4. The Republican-controlled PA legislature approved mail in voting...

In fall 2019, the Pennsylvania legislature, both houses of which, at the time, were controlled by Republicans, approved no-excuse mail-in voting, among other election reforms. At the time, both Democrats and Republicans bragged about how they had worked together to improve election security, while also offering citizens expanded access to the ballot box and more options for exercising their civic duty. Donald Trump loses in 2020, and suddenly mail in voting is the Devil in the eyes of Republicans who had VOTED TO PUT IT IN PLACE and bragged about it. and all because Donald Trump complained about it. Just sheesh!

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

6. That is their reward

for listening to the mindless ranting of that know-nothing Dipshit Donald.

I used to want Trump out of the political picture. Now I'm hoping he takes the whole GQP criminal organization down with him.

[dutch777]

5. If your voter base is older, I would think mail in helps you. Early/extended voting ....

I could see being against that if you are Repug although that probably just ticks people of all political persuasions off too. I like these MAGAts continuing to find new ways to shoot themselves in the foot. Please, don't unhitch your wagon from the Orange One and actually have some sane and useful policy thoughts rather than just blame and blather.

[republianmushroom]

7. Tsk Tsk

[CrispyQ]

8. The few repubs I know love mail in voting. -nt

[AllyCat]

11. A different mail-in strategy?? How about they have a winning strategy for

Americans and our democracy?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. Vote by mail used to be a major part of the GOP GOTV

Texas Democrats started using vote by mail late in the game. Vote by mail used to be a major part of the GOP GOTV efforts.