Former Speaker Gingrich Reminds GOP to Focus on What Matters Former GOP Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. (AP)
By Nicole Wells | Monday, 12 September 2022 01:49 PM EDT
In a reminder to his party to focus on what matters, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich unveiled "the Republican formula" for midterm victories this year, in an opinion piece published by the Washington Examiner on Monday.
Despite polls showing Democrat gains among voters following the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade reversal, Gingrich maintains that "Republicans have the potential for a surprisingly big victory come this November's midterm elections."
The bestselling author tells GOP candidates that the public is currently dealing with a cost-of-living crisis, soaring energy costs, rising crime, and the consequences of the Biden administration's southern border policy that has resulted in a massive influx of illegal drugs and immigrants.
"On virtually every front, people are finding themselves frustrated and frightened by a Democratic Party that is simply failing," Gingrich said. "President Joe Biden's bizarre Philadelphia speech (with its ominous, red-colored setting and its shameless and totally inappropriate use of the Marine Corps) furthered the sense that the Democratic Party is both disastrous and dangerous."
According to a Trafalgar poll released last week, 57% believe Biden's speech at Independence Hall "represents a dangerous escalation in rhetoric and is designed to incite conflict amongst Americans." Just 36% agreed that "it is acceptable campaign messaging that is to be expected in an election year."
The University of Virginia Center for Politics published an analysis Sept. 8 using two different models to develop an election forecast. Both predict large Republican wins of 37 to 44 seats in the House and smaller Republican wins of three to five seats in the Senate.
According to Gingrich, GOP candidates need to "ignore the media's efforts" to divert their attention to the 2024 presidential election and the "unending effort to smear" former President Donald Trump.
"Your job is to stay focused on the issues that matter in the lives of everyday people," he said. "The cost-of-living crisis, especially the skyrocketing cost of food, comes first. The ripple effects of the cost-of-living crisis on electricity prices, gasoline prices, heating oil in the Northeast, diesel fuel, fertilizer and other necessities should be a part of your campaign."
The podcast host added that Republican candidates should "explain big-government socialist spending as the major cause of inflation," and campaign at grocery stores and gas stations.
Crime, Gingrich writes, may be the issue to watch this fall, as a whopping 70% of Philadelphians consider crime and safety their biggest issue and the city is on track to suffer a record number of homicides this year.
There are two convicted murderers working on the campaign of Pennsylvania Democrat Senate candidate John Fetterman, Gingrich points out, and Fetterman voted to release other convicted murderers from prison.
Next, the massive influx of migrants and illicit drugs coming across the southern border is something that Republican candidates should address, especially with overdose deaths now topping 100,000 people per year.
With 84% believing that parents should know what is being taught to their children, GOP candidates should campaign on the right of parents to know what is going on in the classroom, Gingrich said.
Lastly, Gingrich said Republican candidates should "emphasize that we need a military focused on defeating America's enemies, not on being a woke social service center."