Some Republicans in Congress must offer explanations for why they have not condemned the president more forcefully Donald TrumpFalse claims about the election Ahead of the US Capitol riots, pollster and Republican strategist Frank Luntz told CNBC on Thursday.
“I think the Republicans have a lot to do now to fix this breach,” Luntz said. Squawk Box. “They have a lot to do to explain why they had not confronted the president before that, and why these protests were allowed to spiral out of control in this way.”
Riots erupted on Capitol Hill Wednesday afternoon after Trump supporters arrived in Washington to protest against Congress’s end to the November presidential election results. Trump encouraged the gathering, tweeting about it for weeks including one message on December 19 when he said protest “You will be unruly.”
In a speech delivered at the gathering On Wednesday morning, Trump continued promoting his unfounded narrative that he was going to defeat the president-elect Joe Biden If not because voter fraud is widespread. Once again, he pledged not to concede the election to Biden. “We will stop the theft,” he said upon ascending the stage.
Although the Trump supporters’ breach of the U.S. Capitol caused an hour-long hiatus from the completion of the Electoral College vote, the House and Senate eventually resumed their sessions. Biden win is confirmed Early Thursday morning. Some Republicans still object to Biden’s victories in Arizona and Pennsylvania – but some Republican senators, such as Kelly Loeffler She lost her seat In Georgia, they reversed their positions in the aftermath of the riots.
“This is a bad time for this country. It is a bad time for the people’s home. It is a bad time for the Republican Party,” Luntz said. “This morning, I know a lot of people have a lot of regret on their hands, and hopefully the person who regrets it most will be the president of the United States.”
Shortly after Congress finished winning Biden, Trump said in a statement there It would be an “orderly transition” of power. However, he again erroneously stated that “facts” support his claim that he lost to Biden solely due to widespread ballot fraud.
Luntz warned of Republican issues even before Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, causing its evacuation and the suspension of a constitutionally scheduled hearing. Tuesday“The next 48 hours will be among the worst for the Republican Party,” he said, referring to the run-off elections for the Senate in Georgia and to plans by some Republicans to oppose the Electoral College vote.
Both democrats are in Georgia The Republican Party is expected to defeat their opponentsAccording to estimates by NBC News, which will give the Democratic Party a majority in the Senate. “This is a lesson for the Republican Party about what would happen if they continued to act this way,” Luntz said He said Wednesday morning In response to the Georgia results.
Luntz doubled down on his view Thursday: “We have never seen a situation in which Americans – the Americans – attack their critical institution and I think this will have reverberations among swing voters.”
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