Chuck Todd Says Trump’s Midterm Convention Will Only Boost Democrats

Former Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd argued on Wednesday that the GOP convention being held in Dallas this September at President Donald Trump’s behest will only help buoy Democrats in the midterms

Todd’s comments came after CNN’s Erica Hill submitted that it’s “interesting” that the RNC is holding “a midterm convention in September in Dallas,” and asked: “Do you see this as an attempt to boost enthusiasm, or to in some ways put Trump on the ballot? And if so, which party does that benefit?”

Todd replied:

Oh, I think the Democrats will help pay for this convention. I think they would love to see this race as nationalized as possi-, midterm elections, the more nationalized they are, the worse that is for the incumbent party. History will show that, recent history shows that. So doing this the way that Trump wants to do it, making it about him, making it about you’re either with Trump or you’re against Trump. That’s the frame, frankly, Democrats would love to go into the general election with. So, now, I understand why there are some that argue inside the Republican Party, knowing that Trump is unpopular with the middle, that say, “This is a turnout election. We’re not trying to persuade anybody. We’ve got to find ways to fire up the MAGA base, and the MAG base has never shown up when Donald Trump hasn’t been on the ballot.” So this is an attempt to do that. I’m skeptical this is gonna work, especially at a time when he’s more unpopular now than he has been at any moment of his sort of, of his stranglehold on the Republican Party.

So I just think this is-, again, Democrats will help pay for this convention if they promise to nationalize this message and make it all about Trump. So, I think it’s highly risky. I understand the rationale, you know, among, strategically the only shot in some of these are red states that Democrats have to win to win the Senate. Texas, Iowa, Ohio, Alaska, Nebraska. So the Republican argument is if they just get their own voters out they can hold those seats. I just think it’s highly risky. I do, and I think it only helps Team Blue more than they think it will help Team Red.

Watch above via CNN.

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