In general, I detest the concept of the one-issue voter. Hiding behind that issue are voters – all of them – too lazy to do the real work of voting, which is evaluating past performance and the candidates’ stands on various issues.
But there is one issue that would make me a single issue voter if it ever came up, and Jennifer Rubin touches on it:
Both Miller and Eichenthal touch on a critical point: More about any policy issue foreign or domestic, these Republicans [who have left the Party] are deeply concerned about the GOP’s descent into a cult that poses a danger both to its own followers (via vaccine denial) and to democracy. The gap between their concern for democracy and the next issue of importance is vast. Indeed, these are essentially one issue voters — the issue being democracy.
That’s the one critical issue. If you are not for democracy, don’t solicit my vote.
Rubin also agrees with me on the 2022 strategy for Democrats:
These former Republicans or Republicans in exile may not be thrilled with the amount of federal spending under Biden. They might be worried about the Afghanistan pullout. But they are very pleased Trump is gone and that the House is not in his supplicants’ hands. They are quite certain that Trump and congressional Republicans who would do his bidding are an ongoing threat to democracy.
This suggests Democrats should not neglect Jan. 6 or the “big lie” in their 2022 campaigns. They must remind Red Dogs [moderate Republicans looking for a new home] that congressional Republicans are abetting a scheme to suppress voting and rig the results of future elections. Highlighting how close the country came to a meltdown of our democracy will be critical to keeping these voters on board. Even if they like a particular Republican in the House, a vote for a Republican in 2022 is essentially a vote to invest power in the disgraced former president.
Put it on repeat and play that recorder loud. Every Republican who was involved in the effort to reject the Electoral votes on January 6th should be primaried and ejected from their seats, either by Red Dog Republicans or the Democrats.
