RNC Memo Instructs Republican Candidates to Focus More On Top Voter Concerns

The Republican National Committee is advising its candidates to ignore the media hype about Democrats making inroads and instead focus on core issues concerning most voters.

In particular, an RNC memo to candidates advises them to hone in on economic issues like high gasoline, food, and housing costs, as well as rising crime throughout the country, the Washington Times reported.

The memo also advised GOP candidates in swing districts to remind voters of Democrats’ “extreme” positions on abortion, including support for the life-ending procedure up to the moment before birth.

“While Biden and out-of-touch Democrats refuse to address the economic peril they created, voters have made it abundantly clear that this election is about the economy and crime,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel advised in a statement that accompanied the memo. “Meanwhile, Republican candidates are meeting voters where they are and discussing the issues they care about, from the economy to crime and safety.”

“In November, voters will turn to the candidates who showed compassion and solutions for their concerns, which is why Republicans are in the strongest position to take back the House and Senate,” she added.

The Times notes further:

The RNC is pushing for a post-Labor Day reboot after a series of updated political forecasts suggested that Democrats are in a far better position than they once were to defend their slim Senate majority and limit casualties in the House.

According to the memo, that storyline is more wishful thinking on behalf of Democrats than a reflection of reality on the ground, particularly if Republicans sharpen their message on top issues for voters, including independents.

Thanks to some shifts in polling for President Biden — his approval rating has inched upward in recent weeks, though he is still underwater — and some legislative wins including the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” Democrats believe they are in a better position than they were just a few months ago.

Then, gas prices were topping $5 a gallon, inflation was rising at a fast clip, and Biden’s approval numbers were below 40 percent.

But the RNC memo appears to be reflective of other polling showing that, while the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade may have energized the liberal base of the Democratic Party, there are far more concerns among Americans about so-called “kitchen table issues” — personal finances, a rising crime rate, and shortages of certain commodities like baby formula earlier this summer.

The memo “urged Republican candidates to ignore the noise of the mainstream media, run their campaigns on their terms and focus on the issues that drive most voters,” The Washington Times reported.

“Democrats and the national media are determined to try and make abortion the top issue ahead of the midterms, however, the media is not on our side, and we do not answer to them but to voters,” the memo said. “Voters have made clear this election is largely about the economy and crime.”

The memo also urges GOP candidates to bring to the debates real-life scenarios and stories of how voters have suffered more under Democratic leadership in Congress and the White House.

“Republicans MUST bring solutions to the table in order to win,” it said.

According to the RNC, in generic polling, Republicans have a 16-point edge over Dems on the issue of crime and retain a 22-point advantage when voters are asked to choose between a Democrat who supports abortion “at any time for any reason” and a “Pro-life Republican who supports exceptions for instances of rape, incest, or the life of the mother.”

In a survey conducted with the right-leaning Convention of States Action, the Trafalgar Group found that a majority of voters, including 57 percent of Independents, say nationally, Republicans haven’t made a good enough case to earn midterm votes.

“Considering the failure of Afghanistan, inflation, student loans, the recession we are in, the attempted vaccine mandates, the border, and President Biden’s dark and dangerous speech recently, the Biden administration has been a complete disaster, and his record low approval numbers show that,” said Mark Meckler, president of the Convention of States.

“Logically, one would think that national Republicans would be riding high, able to take advantage of this situation to create momentum,” he noted further, according to the Times.

“Yet, the fact is the feckless leadership, poor communication, and what appears to be a non-existent strategy is causing voters to say loud and clear: you need to try harder.”