‘Blood on Your Hands’: MSNBC Contributor Rails Against Democrats Spending to Boost Far-Right Candidates
MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace took on the issue of Democrats funding far-right Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections as a strategy to try and win races.
Wallace spoke with Democratic strategist Mathew Dowd and MSNBC political contributor Jason Johnson who both railed against Democrats using this risky tactic.
“So why has the Democratic Governors Association spent more than $1,000,000 in ads to elevate Cox, the MAGA guy, Trump’s choice? The answer is they would say they’re playing the long game. They see Cox as an easier general election opponent in Maryland and appear eager to help him get there,” said Wallace introducing the segment.
“They succeeded in boosting Trump-aligned Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania and Darren Bailey in Illinois. They are attempting it in Arizona right now with Kari Lake. They tried unsuccessfully to do it in Colorado by giving an assist to two 2020 election deniers,” Wallace added, noting the tactic’s use across the country.
“It is also, I don’t have to tell you, a strategy that carries significant risk. Think about it. If Dan Cox wins the nomination and then say he happens to pull off a win in the general, Democrats will have helped fund and elect a MAGA conservative to a governorship,” she concluded, before turning to Dowd.
“Why on earth, why on earth would we elevate candidates and try to diminish other candidates who are the sane ones and elevate the crazy ones in the midst of this environment that we’re in today?” said Dowd on the topic.
“And as you led into this, yeah, it does carry great risk, but we should actually be hopeful and supporting sane Republican candidates who believe in elections, who support the Constitution and not the crazies,” added Dowd, strongly condemning the tactic.
Wallace then turned to Johnson, who had a much more fiery take.
“This was a cute idea maybe ten, 12 years ago. I mean, both parties did it right. If you could find a nutcase on the other side, you put energy behind them, you put money behind you, you put endorsements behind them. That’s when you didn’t have to worry about a violent insurrection,” Johnson began, echoing Dowd.
“So the Democratic Party should never be funding a terrorist front. That’s what this boils down to. If you give money to somebody who does not believe in the legitimacy of our elections, you are funding terrorists,” he continued, upping the tone of his language.
“You are funding insurrections. It’s a bad idea. If those people get in, then it costs us 22 and possibly 2024 presidential election,” raising the prospect of the 2024 election not being free and fair.
“I don’t think it’s good strategy for our current political environment. And one of these is going to end up biting the Democratic Party on the nose. I don’t know which of these candidates. Maybe it’s Kari Lake, maybe it’s Cox. One of these people is going to end up winning and everyone will be like, ‘How did this happen?’”
“It’s like, ‘Yeah, the blood on your hands,’” Johnson concluded, addressing the Democrats behind the strategy.
Watch the full clip above on MSNBC
