A story that could define 2024
When it comes to the Republican presidential contest in Iowa, the evangelical vote is often the golden ticket.
Despite paying hush money to a porn star and refusing to say whether he would support a national abortion ban, Donald Trump is currently defying the odds with these voters, holding on to about 58% of the evangelical vote, according to this Des Moines Register poll from March. Can he hold on to that edge?
I asked Politico reporter Jonathan Martin, Bulwark writer-at-large Tim Miller and Des Moines Register chief politics reporter Brianne Pfannenstiel about this on our first exclusive Peacock episode of “Inside With Jen Psaki” — and they seemed to suggest there may be an opening.
I’ll be watching to see whether the faith-based messages of Sen. Tim Scott or former Vice President Mike Pence will take hold, or if Gov. Ron DeSantis’ critiques of Trump’s abortion record can make any headway with this key demographic as the nomination process progresses.
The week in hypocrisy
Republicans really like to pitch themselves as the pro-business, anti-cancel culture party. But lately, they have seemed awfully anti-business and pro-cancel culture. You’ve seen the headlines — calls to boycott brands like Bud Light and Target for their LGBTQ-friendly campaigns and merchandise, and even online efforts to tank stock prices.
The reactions from these companies have been mixed. Target announced it would be pulling some of LGBTQ-themed items from its stores while Bud Light pledged $200,000 to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
But this trend ultimately says much more about the people attacking these companies than it does about the companies themselves. And it isn’t the first time certain brands have engaged in similarly inclusive campaigns. So why the sudden spike in vitriol? Simply put; The modern-day American right has made its brand manufactured moral panic.
I guess the party of free speech and free markets and…
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