AMAC Exclusive – By Seamus Brennan
After an unexpectedly disappointing night for Republicans on Tuesday, we are now witnessing the inevitable period of finger-pointing, fault-finding, and “soul-searching” within the GOP. From condemning Donald Trump to implicating the Dobbs decision and criticizing Republican congressional leadership, the blame game is well underway.
But conservatives are, yet again, likely missing the forest for the trees. While abortion, Mitch McConnell, “candidate quality,” and countless other proximate causes almost certainly played a significant role in the disappointing results, these pale in comparison to the factors few are willing to face. The GOP is now operating in an environment in which it has a growing set of gargantuan structural disadvantages—now seen for two elections in a row.
Between a national press that’s more rigidly partisan than state-run media in some authoritarian countries, widespread censorship by Big Tech, persecution and harassment by the Deep State, mass mail-in voting systems that only the Democrats exploit, shady practices surrounding large-scale ballot harvesting, and every social and cultural institution aligned against conservatives, it’s a miracle that Republicans can win any election
It is now clear that until Republicans get serious about finding a way to compete in a political environment that is militantly arrayed against them, they will continue to lose every single national election—no matter how imminent a red wave might seem.
It is not yet quite true, but at times almost seems so, that conservatives are not really allowed to win.
Given the circumstances, it is almost comical to talk about whether Republicans lost because Dr. Oz was a “flawed candidate.” That’s like saying the Titanic sunk because it didn’t have good enough bilge pumps.
Despite what the Washington consulting class likes to tell itself (and its donors), conservatives are simply not fighting on a level playing field. They aren’t even fighting on anything close to a level playing field—and in many cases, they are playing a game entirely of their own.
The news media successfully buries stories that are in any way damaging to progressives or beneficial to conservatives. Federal departments like the DOJ and FBI now openly target Republicans and persecute the Biden administration’s political enemies. Every major Silicon Valley tech giant actively censors conservative content.
And what happens if by chance a conservative does win? Well, look what happened to Donald Trump. The entire system spent four straight years trying to evict him from office through hoaxes, propaganda, and lies.
Meanwhile, in 2022, the entire media conspired successfully to conceal John Fetterman’s disqualifying health challenges. The full extent of Fetterman’s disability did not become clear until the sole debate, which took place after a majority of ballots in Pennsylvania had already been cast. When a reporter from NBC tried to reveal the secret, the entire media didn’t attack Fetterman for lying about his health—they attacked the reporter for telling the truth.
The sunshiny naivete of GOP consultants who fail to grapple with the full implications of these facts remains a massive obstacle to the party’s future electoral prospects.
The Republican establishment’s response to the disappointments of 2022 mirror almost exactly their response to 2020: blame Donald Trump, and learn nothing. One might think that the 2020 election—in which several swing states illegally changed their election laws to favor Democrats (including Pennsylvania, which violated its own state constitution), Big Tech colluded with the FBI to censor the Hunter Biden laptop story, and the media did everything in its power to ensure a Trump defeat—would have served as a wakeup call for establishment Republicans to change course in future elections. They probably assured themselves that the new rules were only deployed against Trump. Last week, they learned differently.
Two full years after Republicans received a rude awakening about the dangers of permitting widespread mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and ballot harvesting, the national party and many state parties were once again unprepared.
By every historic precedent, Republicans should have won Tuesday’s midterms in a seismic landslide. Every condition for a red wave was in place. The American economy is teetering on the edge of ruin, with lingering threats of recession and inflation at its highest point in four decades. The southern border is in a shambles, and virtually every border security measure has been thrown by the wayside. Democrats are openly campaigning on providing sex change surgery and hormone blockers to healthy minor children, indoctrinating them with perverse racial and sexual inanities, and killing fully formed babies in the womb up until the moment of birth. The incumbent president is facing historically low approval ratings and is incapable of making a public appearance without making gaffes that, in a different age, would have been utterly disqualifying. Two years ago, Democrats incentivized months of rioting and burning of cities to promote a false narrative of systemic racism and police brutality.
All of this raises an interesting question: was Tuesday’s performance not the worst Republicans can do in this lopsided environment—but instead, closer to the best the GOP can hope for, if it is not willing or able to address the larger structural issues?
The fact that Republicans didn’t defeat Democrats in an electoral bloodbath on Tuesday is yet another sign that the Republican establishment must finally come to terms with the landscape they face. Instead of squabbling over minor factors, all their energy should be directed toward confronting what might be called the Big Rig: the media, the tech giants, the Deep State, and state election authorities all colluding to ensure Republicans never win another election again.
What would actually grappling with these problems look like? Well, to start with, conservative donors and media figures could begin devising a way to quietly create or take over media empires that—unlike entities like Fox News or Newsmax—do not openly brand themselves as conservative propaganda. Rather than paying lip service to election integrity, Republicans need to end ballot harvesting where they can and figure out how to legally match it where they can’t. And most importantly, when GOP leaders do win control of Congress or the White House, they should under no circumstances hesitate to wield the levers of power in the same ways Democrats do.
These are just a handful of steps the Republican Party needs to take—and the conservative movement must now take time to think seriously about other ways to reverse its deep-rooted disadvantages.
If we do not, and we simply give into the lazy establishment excuse of blaming Donald Trump, it is all but certain this will happen again.
What needs to happen, is a new party with big backing financially is needed to take on both Republicans and Democrats. Just the name republican causes a stigma to a lot of voters. Reason is the voters know the Republicans are spineless. The new party should be called the conservative party. Plain and simple.
The Estd GOP caused our losses if NOT More
Change RNC Mgmt
Purge GOP
New Blood
Adapt Dems rules to OUR side
Or lose 2024
Name for new party: Patriots First
Concord?
Legacy Eagle
“After an unexpectedly disappointing night for Republicans…”
Unexpectedly???!?!?!! I have been warning of this outcome for over 6 months. Helen KeIIer saw this coming.
The crooked way the Republican National committee handled things and not using the democrat electioneering handbook.
The only consistent thing about the GOP during the past four election cycles has been the growth and intensity of its fundraising enterprises and industry based in Merrifield, Virginia.
100% of votes in Utah are cast using mail-in ballots.
What is their secret to successful mail-in voting and why can’t the other states copy the Utah model ?
TWO PARTY GOVERNMENT ,, is pretty much over at this point== bought== but not paid for by the socialist democrats ,, im just hoping by the end of the next 2 years that we still have a free nation to vote for ,,but thats not looking good at all
This article is excellent. Very. It would do well to read it again. Let the mud slinging stop. Instead the focus should be on being authentic. Democrats have only a temporary success because of phoniness. The Conservatives need to find success in genuinely speaking their values and ethics. Everyone, is concerned with some sort of success strategy. The key: who can be the most genuine. It is rare, truly almost extinct for politics to be spontaneous, true, and like a breath of fresh air!
Silver linings article& blaming bilge pumps articles both ignore fact: just like 2020 the democrats again stole, cheated this midterm election. Illegals voted, missing ballots, 3:00 am ballots, etc. Ask retired Ltd. Col Wendy Roger’s Arizona senator. She saw the repeT of democrats stealing, destroying. Also Mike Lindell had people watching, as games, lies, etc. From democrats again. But God is fixing in his timetable
Let’s be clear – there is blame and it needs to be reviewed deeply. 1. Trump is a big liability; too many people hate him and he reenforces that hate every time he speaks in his bitter disgruntled way. 2. Abortion cost some votes, 3. Fear of losing Social Security and Medicare which was never countered by Republicans cost votes. 4. Outspent by Dems by 3x, 5. Red wave expectations kept some away from voting, 6. Mostly average Republican candidates, 7. No real agenda explained to American public to give them hope and drive voters in the direction of Republicans.
Every 4 years during the presidential election we have 4 more years of high school graduates who can vote after having been endoctrinated with liberal public school philosophy ( yes, there are a few good teachers, but not many. The school and universities have an agenda.) We need to reach young people and new voters- but not through compromise as the Rhinos do. We don’t have a united party. First, the Republicans didn’t all get behind Trump when he was President. Second, people talk about a Trump/ DeSantis ticket; but there is no unity there either. How could Trump put DeSantis on a ticket with him after spending the next 2 years trying to denigrate him? We need to get our messages and our candidates before the people more than ever- but we need to get the truth out and respond when accused of trying to take away everyone’s freedoms, etc. The Democrats get away with so much corruption and lying- starting at the top. However, we never should have bragged about the “ red wave”. We should have said that this may be very close and every vote counts. Nevertheless, I disagree that we should ignore some of the issues mentioned. I will never vote for a pro abortion candidate, even if they are Republican. I will vote the Constitution candidate or write in a name. You may say it is a wasted vote. At least I will have a clear conscience. I have done many ultrasounds and watched the baby move, listened to the heartbeat, etc. I have also seen photos of human babies butchered by the abortionist- their legs torn off, their heads decapitated, etc. Look at the pictures. It should make you sick. We’ll kill our own children ( no, it is not the mother’s body) but have to pay a $1000 fine or go to prison if we destroy an eagle’s egg. Abortion is human sacrifice. I am for choice – the choice to say no or to use one’s brain and choose protection. In the end, I only answer to God.
As I understand it, HALF of the DIMMs had already voted BEFORE Fetterman’s disastrous debate performance. DIMMs either won’t debate or debate AFTER a large portion of their votes are cast. WE need a ONE-DAY election; not a one-month one!
This not fault of President Trump, but the fault the bickering with elites of Republican Party,
Donald Trump is a scape goat. The Democrats are using him and the January 6th “Insurrection” as a distraction from the mess that the Biden Administration has made of this country. The GOP needs to step up and fight fire with fire. I saw bits of the recent interview with the former vice president regarding January 6th. For some reason, I can’t recall his name. Maybe that is a Freudian slip. He seemed extremely uncomfortable when the interviewer asked about his decision to go along with the impeachment. What’s wrong with the GOP? In my opinion, both he and Mitch McConnell should join the Democratic Party. I’ll hold the door!
Everyone so far has avoided the 2 large elephants in the room. Before we again can elect any conservatives and have any sanity in elections, two things must and have to change. One, lying by politicians and two, lying by the fake media. Lying to get elected is despicable and has to stop, and penalties must be put in place. It is a joke that the electorate knows who to vote for when everyone from clueless Bidin and every lame mainstream media outlet spues disinformation about all conservatives. The conservative message never gets out, especially in red areas. Until this changes, no one will ever know really who won any election no matter how closely it is watched or how long it goes on. It has really become a joke!!!
I must agree with this view. The republicans have not figured out that the democrates don’t play fare, go out and buy votes, and pack ballott boxes. If you are going to play with the big dogs, play their game or fix the indescressions before election day. And we must go back to an “Election Day”, not a month or two months….
I have to agree with the author’s overall analysis. The GOP establishment’s unwillingness to recognize the structural flaws that the Democrats were allowed to create during Covid “emergency voting measures” institutionalized a series of means by which to ensure ballot counting would almost always favor the Democrat. All it would take to for a Democrat to “win” would be to keep processing the ballots for days or weeks until the end result produced a slim Democrat win.
The only error I could find in the article is it is actually 3 times that the new voting system has been successfully used by the Democrats: 202, the Georgia 2021 run-offs, and the 2022 midterms. The other error is classifying Fox News as a conservative network. Fox may have been a conservative network at one point, but since James and Lachlan Murdock took over a few years back, they have moved steadily towards the news division being in-line with the MSM. Both of Murdock’s sons are known in New York social circles as being quite “progressive” and desire to re-brand both the network and the WSJ to be more “mainstream”.
The other part of the article that was very well written was this paragraph:
“What would actually grappling with these problems look like? Well, to start with, conservative donors and media figures could begin devising a way to quietly create or take over media empires that—unlike entities like Fox News or Newsmax—do not openly brand themselves as conservative propaganda. Rather than paying lip service to election integrity, Republicans need to end ballot harvesting where they can and figure out how to legally match it where they can’t. And most importantly, when GOP leaders do win control of Congress or the White House, they should under no circumstances hesitate to wield the levers of power in the same ways Democrats do.”
What it distills down to is stop just talking and actually do something positive to fight back. The Republican Party LOVES to endlessly talk about how things should be or could be, but does NOTHING in terms of what it takes to actually move the ball down the field. It’s like having endless business meetings about starting a business, but never getting around to actually doing anything necessary to start and run a real business. The default response from most of the establishment GOP is usually to say how things should or could be and then after the elections go right back to business as usual. Case in point, both McConnell and McCarthy are now frantically trying to hold elections this week about who will be the leaders of the Senate and House Republicans next year. Both men are completely out of touch and don’t care one bit. The other side, the Democrats, tell you or threaten you with what they will do and then they actually put actions in motions to deliver on those promises or threats. So only one side is actually fighting for what it believes. Our side is focused on returning to business as usual and not rocking the boat. See the real problem?
Yet another comment censored by AMAC. Have fun AMAC.
Democrats committed election fraud, Again, and the weak GOP leadership fails to take action,again. TRUMP 2024- To Save America
I agree with the conclusion offered by the writer; it fits the data from the election. However, the Dems won on a Trump-is-bad-remember-Jan 6 strategy and tactics. Moreover, the first comment I heard from Trump is that Arizona was stolen. The voters don’t take to that if they are left of center, and the independents broke left and didn’t want to hear it. I fear the Trump brand will only appeal to the right side of the political spectrum, and will enrage the left so much they’ll turn out in ’24 in even more numbers.
Two things that is VERY wrong and NEEDS to be Fixed. One – go back to paper ballots or at least get a more secure procedure, I really can not understand that even after proving that the Voting machines are not secure and the states keep using the stupid things. Two – People are lazy and can not get off their butts to find out the truth of things for themselves. SO, it’s a damn shame that these people out number the ones that worked at knowing the truth ( at least about or elections ) God help US. I truly feel the next 7 years will ruin America and it will be done from the inside. I find it VERY strange that ( supposedly ) it’s just the Democrats that are Ignorant about cause and effect. All the so called intelligent “Collage Educated” men and women that are surprisingly Democrats do not understand about Economy, and really everything else.( just look at what they have done ) there is something else going on here.
Thank you, Seamus Brennan, for a well-written, even if short, article. I would not cover “fraudulent voting” either, because it will again take years prove the obvious.
Very thoughtful article with many valid points. But I do put some blame on Trump. His endorsed candidates did well but people he not only endorsed but stumped for personally did not fair well. Granted some were in states that have election problems mentioned in your article. But I feel it was a contributing factor.
As for repairing election laws and putting integrity back into elections I think we need to look no further than Florida. DeSantis has shored up the system pretty well even putting out election police. I happen to live in corrupt PA and Democrats have our election law definitely rigged to benefit them. When there errors like unverified ballots sent out this election 29k of them this election that were to be set aside to validate voters. They were not set aside. Undated ballots were to be set aside and not counted. They were counted. The US Supreme Court determined what was a legal ballot but PA SoS has other ideas. PA legislature when in the hands of the Republicans had an election integrity bill pass both houses and was promptly vetoed by our Democratic Governor Wolf, who gave the nation Rachel Levin a disgrace in and of itself. Democrats will never allow any kind of election integrity laws or election loophole clean up if they can help it. Supporting your state legislature has become critical to keeping democratic governors in check.
‘It is now clear that until Republicans get serious about finding a way to compete in a political environment that is militantly arrayed against them,”
Already the media is beginning to pump up Trump. They are scared to death of Trump 2.0. Time to dump Trump.
The media runs the election. Who’s running the media?
In past elections, people asked themselves “am I better off now than I was when we had the last President. Since the answer this election time is “definitely not better off” how can you blame President Trump? Folks had a chance to put the brakes on Biden and the dems disastrous leadership, but they didn’t. The blame goes to the voters who are satisfied with the status quo and those who couldn’t be bothered to take the time to vote but had time to complain.
What our senators and representatives need to do is to perform better at their jobs! Become the leaders that our country needs. What we the citizens need to do is help our leaders by stopping the criticism and becoming more involved on the local levels. It isn’t enough just to vote.
Thank you for this article, Seamus Brennan. Also, the posts on this page have been equally enlightening. We are a republic “a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.” So, let’s start acting like it. It’s one thing to voice our opinions on this (well written piece) in a safe space online; and another for us to actually go out “in person” and voice our opinions face to face. It’s become increasingly important for me to be involved & participate at a local level with the party that adheres to the conservative ideals I espouse. My participation has just “one upped” to doing just that. Thanks again, to all of you.
What do you expect when the Democrats cheat the system. It’s the only way they can win. Arizona is a perfect example.
The Republicans are a”Day late and a Dollar short”. They should have had Republican controlled states clean up election laws or flaws! They did not and now they are seeing what is going on. Are you kidding me! Most of These Washington folks are either “Swamp creatures” or unfortunately just plain stupid.
The election flaws of 2020 have been spelled out and discussed. They had time to help the electorate by fixing the flaws. Since most of them went along with the game being played they are complicit
Mitch McConnell and his cronies have sold us down the river They are the ruling class and allow these games to be played as long as they are safe
Once again are they just oblivious and stupid, or are they part of the problem?
Absolutely agree!! Not sure the current roster of Republican leaders are up to or understand the challenge, however. Unfortunately, keeping Trump as the face if the Republican
Party only energizes all the forces you mentioned.
Instead of playing the blame game, we need to look inward. The problem is us. We have not trained up our children with a Judeo-Christian world view. We have not raised them to know absolutes, right from wrong, good from evil. We have not trained them in our Constitution and the responsibilities of citizenship. We have given them a free ride an iPad and a credit card. We have given them over to schools run by government bureaucrats, sent them to colleges which indoctrinate them in all kinds of liberal nonsense, and now they’re allowed to go to the polls and vote according to their convictions. The problem began with with us. We have sown to the wind and we are reaping the whirlwind. When your God becomes the government and “science”, then chaos will reign. The only hope for our country is a return to the God who used to make His home here.
The only blame goes to the left for all the lies that they have propagated about Trump. Too many people are listening to the media and not looking at the truth. Sad!
I absolutely agree with everything said in this well written article. Until Republicans understand the playing field
Until we learn how to defeat evil in both so called parties it is over for The Republic of the United States of America.
Talk,Talk,Talk!!!Soros and his the people like him have sat down and planned their moves and what republicans will do. The past is over. What are Americans going to do to protect our country?? A Russian leader and war veteran told the world”We will defeat America from within not by force without. Sound familiar??? Action, if we must set the law aside to defeat the lawless and become our republic again so be it!!!America first foremost and always. God willing!
Everyone needs tk vote! We need to vote for those who care about those they represent, not just themselves. We must never forget we have a government that is “of the people, by the people and for the people.” We have relegated our responsibility to narcissistic politicians!
Good article! I don’t know what to say anymore. I’m at a loss. As long as we have the same idiots in power, nothing is going to change. Nothing is going to get done. The 87,000 IRS new jobs is the only thing they got done. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they are hired to go after conservatives like police, or they wouldn’t have weapons and are being trained to kill. If anyone goes against this administration, this is what they’re for. Tax fraud? That’s been going on forever, especially the rich. This is the exact thing that goes on in communist countries. They rid of ppl who go against them. The Repub’s should have stood up to all of this way before now. If they would’ve come down on these corrupt leaders as soon as things started, we wouldn’t be in this situation as bad as it is. Now Dems are more powerful. They intimate their constituents because they have gained so much power. Being paid to be Rino’s is another thought how they got their control. Money means everything, even American lives. So what we are left now, is the continuation to take America down as we know it. Eventually, it’ll be a one-party country. They will keep their luxuries and what we lost. We will be left with a poor quality of life. Poor with no money. All taken. Poor grandkids. New generations that won’t know the difference. This is my opinion. Thanks for reading.
I didn’t read the above article because the fact that Pelosi is not the Speaker of the House is a big victory! The fact that school boards across various states flipped to the parents control is a big victory! The fact that New York has more republicans in office is a victory!
Will some one stuff The Turtle in a bilge pump please?
Inflation and gas prices are off the charts high, the Southern border is a mess, progressive social issues have run amok – it should have been a “Red Wave.” Instead, the Democrats held their own during the midterms better than any controlling party has in decades. There’s really only one reason why: Trump. He’s polarizing and there’s more people that dispise him than follow him. The Republican Party’s foreseeable survival is predicated on moving on from him.
Until the voting system is cleaned up to the extent that the DemocRats cannot rig elections, the DemocRats are still going to RULE as they did in the 1930’s, and the Nation will suffer.
This article was excellent. Too bad those that could really make changes have been passed over already. Voter fraud or illegal activities were again present in 2022, the scope of which we most likely will never know. There is still burnout from the 2020 election fiasco and a few very good cases still in the courts. With little to no help from select Law Enforcement agencies and then prosecutors that don’t want to prosecute, getting to honest elections that can be trusted is a long way off. Don’t give up!!
I saw a demographic breakdown of how voters (all states) voted, I believe the data is based on individual voter registration (affiliation) and then documented to have voted. Exit polls also can produce this type of data. The Republicans won almost every age group by a slim margin. Where the elections were lost, was the 18–28-year-old voter. Most of them coming out of some form of “higher” education. These are the young freshly molded Liberal Democrats that have no idea what this country stands for and how it got to be the best place on earth to live and work. The liberal teachers & professors worked their magic and there was no stopping this rainbow/BLM mindset from voting Democrat. The % of this demographic voting Democrat was so overwhelming it blew the Red Wave back out to sea.
I have not seen, (but I am not looking for any more data on the election,) any other data that would corroborate or refute the above. The Administration is the Democrat Party and it baited these young voters very well – Student Loan relief, Abortion on demand, a secure Southern Border, reduced gas prices and the big bad Donald Trump. With the help of the US press core, Big Tech and millions & millions of dollars given by far-left wing organizations to pay for attack adds (Truth was not a requirement) to fill the air waves and TV with non-stop attach adds. If you say it loud enough and often enough, people will begin to believe it. They did it, they blew the red wave into a ripple.
It’s always the same, name calling and attacks on personal character when someone says or does something “They” don’t like. The same players keep that opinion or evidence from getting into the public arena is paramount. It covers everything from Global Warming (Climate Change) to Medical & Pharmaceutical professions. No one allowed to say Global Warming is a lie based on incomplete and faulty forecast models. You are in big trouble if you doubt Dr. Fauci and anything he said. The virus came from a “wet” market – right? A real Dr. gave the best analogy regarding wearing masks – “Trying to stop a virus with a mask is like trying to stop mosquitos with chicken wire.”