Ex-GOP Strategist Blames Trump For Party's Loss In New York Special Election

In a recent special election, the Republican Party suffered a significant loss, and a former GOP strategist is pointing fingers at the party’s leadership.

What Happened: The Republican Party faced a defeat in the special election for New York’s 3rd Congressional District. The former GOP strategist, Stuart Stevens, attributed the loss to the party’s leadership under former President Donald Trump, reported HuffPost on Thursday.

The election saw Republican candidate Mazi Melesa Pilip (R-N.Y.) lose to former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), vying to succeed the expelled former Rep. George Santos.

Stevens, in a scathing critique, suggested that the party’s leadership under Trump is a major factor in the party’s decline. He highlighted Trump’s ongoing efforts to consolidate power, including his recent bid to appoint his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as the co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

See Also: Jamie Raskin Raises Skepticism Over Witness Claims In GOP’s Biden Impeachment Inquiry

“Republicans who are asking why they keep losing elections are like the guy who walks into the ER with a nail in his head, asking why he has a headache,” Stevens wrote on Twitter.

Stevens, who previously worked with outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), went on to list a series of issues plaguing the party, including its lack of serious policy, its abandonment of support for freedom in Europe, and its focus on cultural wars of gender politics.

Why It Matters: Stevens’ comments reflect a growing sentiment within the party that the Trump era has had a detrimental impact on its electoral prospects. This view is echoed by other prominent Republicans, such as former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who has criticized Trump’s attempts to influence the upcoming election through RNC appointments.

Read Next: Trump’s RNC Leadership Pick Michael Whatley Reportedly Faces GOP Resistance: ‘He Is Completely Incompetent’

Image via Shutterstock