A veteran Republican strategist is sounding the alarm over what he views as a costly, self-inflicted wound threatening the GOP just weeks before the crucial midterm elections.
“It’s frustrating to see some of these comments,” Brendan Steinhauser, who managed former Sen. John Cornyn’s 2014 reelection campaign, told Newsweek. “Because I think it hurts us.”
Steinhauser was reacting to the Texas GOP’s Railroad Commission nominee Bo French’s viral online post showing South Asian students celebrating a University of Texas football victory. French suggested the image showed “foreigners” in place of Texans at the university.
Steinhauser said French was creating “extra headwinds that are unnecessary” for Republicans just weeks before the election.
“The picture posted at UT Austin, that caused all the controversy, that was just an unforced error,” Steinhauser told the outlet. “So like, what are you doing? You know, there’s no sense in that.”
The firestorm in Texas comes as Republicans confront unexpectedly competitive races in a ruby red state where Democrats have not won a statewide election since 1994.
One new poll shows Democratic state Rep. James Talarico leading MAGA favorite Ken Paxton 49% to 43% in the Senate race, while Democrat Gina Hinojosa leads Republican Gov. Greg Abbott 49% to 45%, Newsweek reported Friday.
Political reporter Jacob Rubashkin called the numbers “absolutely brutal for Republicans” and warned they could lead to a “generational wipeout” if they hold through Election Day, according to the outlet.
Steinhauser said Republicans may still prevail, but acknowledged that Democrats now have a genuine opening.
“Although Republicans still might win in the end, it could be very close,” he said. “And it is at least a possibility that the Democrats could win.”
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