While were on the subject of votingWell, this is awkward. The Republican National Committee just filed a court motion that basically admits what Democrats have been saying for years – that making it easier for people to vote hurts Republican candidates. They didnt even try to dress it up in flowery language about election integrity or preventing fraud. They just straight-up said more voter access is bad for their electoral prospects.
Heres what happened: The RNC jumped into federal court to defend Trumps executive order that aims to restrict voting access nationwide. But instead of sticking to the usual talking points about protecting democracy, they went full mask-off and argued that expanded mail-in voting and proper voter roll maintenance harm Republican electoral prospects and drain critical party resources.
Let me translate that for you: when more people can vote easily, Republicans lose more often. And that costs them money because they have to work harder to win.
The RNCs Chief of Staff Michael Ambrosini put this in writing, under oath, in a legal filing. He specifically claimed that late-arriving ballots that skew heavily in favor of one party undermine confidence in the integrity of the election, dilute the timely votes of Republican voters, and harm the RNC.
Notice how he doesnt say these late ballots are fraudulent or illegal. He just doesnt like that they skew heavily toward Democrats. Thats not a fraud allegation – thats a complaint about voter preferences.
This is the same RNC that has spent years claiming their efforts to restrict voting are about election security and preventing fraud. But when theyre talking to a judge under penalty of perjury, the real motivation comes out – they think easier voting helps their opponents.
The context here is Trumps sweeping executive order from March that tried to fundamentally change how elections work in America. The order demanded proof of citizenship for voter registration, attempted to limit mail-in voting, and threatened to withhold federal funding from states that dont comply. A federal judge already blocked major parts of it, but the RNC wants to keep fighting.
What makes this particularly rich is that this comes from the same party that has been encouraging their own voters to use mail-in voting through their Bank Your Vote campaign. They want Republicans to vote by mail, but they also want to make it harder for everyone else to do the same thing.
The RNC also complained that states arent aggressive enough about purging voter rolls, claiming this harms their outreach efforts. Translation: they want fewer people registered to vote because it makes their job easier.
This isnt some gotcha moment or out-of-context quote. This is the Republican Partys official legal position, filed in federal court by their lawyers. Theyre arguing that democracy works better when fewer people participate.
The really stunning part is how brazen this admission is. For years, voting rights advocates have argued that Republican voting restrictions are motivated by partisan advantage rather than election security. Republicans have always denied this, insisting they just want to prevent fraud and maintain confidence in elections.
But heres the RNC saying, in legal documents, that their real concern is that certain voting methods help Democrats win. Theyre not alleging fraud – theyre complaining about the political consequences of letting people vote.
This fits perfectly with other recent Republican admissions. In North Carolina, a GOP operative was caught on tape saying mail-in voting helps Democrats. In Pennsylvania, Republican legislators admitted their voter ID law was designed to help Mitt Romney win. The pattern is clear: when they think nobodys listening, Republicans acknowledge that voting restrictions are about winning elections, not protecting them.
The practical impact of what the RNC is defending would be massive. Trumps executive order could disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly in states that have expanded mail-in voting access. Eighteen states currently count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day if theyre postmarked on time – a practice that helps ensure military overseas voters and people in rural areas can participate.
But the RNC doesnt care about those voters access. They care about winning elections, and theyve concluded that making voting harder helps them do that.
Whats particularly galling is that this comes wrapped in language about election integrity and confidence in elections. But if your solution to election confidence problems is to make it harder for certain groups to vote, youre not protecting democracy – youre undermining it.
The RNCs filing also pushes discredited claims about voter registration fraud, arguing that states need to be more aggressive about removing people from voter rolls. This is the same old playbook of claiming widespread fraud without evidence, then using those claims to justify making voting harder.
Heres the bottom line: the Republican Party just admitted in federal court that they benefit when fewer people vote. That should tell you everything you need to know about their commitment to democracy.
Democracy is supposed to work by letting all eligible citizens participate and then counting their votes fairly. The RNC apparently thinks it works better when participation is limited to people who are likely to vote Republican.
Thats not a political philosophy – thats just rigging the game. And now theyve admitted it in writing.