Former President Donald Trump announced a new initiative to boost Republican early voting and the use of mail-in and absentee ballots for the upcoming November presidential election, reversing his previous stance on these practices. Dubbed “Swamp the Vote,” Trump emphasized the necessity for Republicans to use every legitimate method to secure victory over the Democrats, who he believes are leading the country astray.
In a statement, Trump said, “Republicans must win, and we will use every appropriate tool to beat the Democrats because they are destroying our country.” He added, “Whether you vote absentee, by mail, early in-person, or on election day, we are going to protect the vote. We make sure your ballot is secure and your voice is heard. We must swamp the radical Democrats with massive turnout. The way to win is to swamp them; if we swamp them with votes, they can’t cheat. You need to make a plan, register, and vote any way possible. We have got to get your vote.”
This campaign appears to build on the Republican National Committee’s “Bank Your Vote” plan, initially launched under former RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Trump’s past criticism of mail-in ballots and absentee voting, especially during the 2020 election, has evolved into a strategic embrace of these methods to counteract Democratic advantages in states where such practices are legal.
Trump previously stated, “We have to get rid of mail-in ballots because once you have mail-in ballots, you have crooked elections,” but he has recently acknowledged the necessity for Republicans to adapt. “In the states where ballot harvesting is still legal, we have no choice but to beat the Democrats at their own game,” Trump said last year. “Either we start ballot harvesting or you can just wave goodbye to our country … we have to get smart.” He reiterated this sentiment on Truth Social, urging GOP voters to “make a plan, register, and vote.”
Other prominent Republicans, including RNC Co-Chair Lara Trump, have echoed this strategy. At a GOP event in North Carolina, she encouraged voters to utilize any legal method available to ensure their votes are counted. “Any way you can vote and as early as you can vote, get your vote banked,” Lara Trump said, emphasizing the importance of securing votes early.
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign and the RNC have announced substantial fundraising success, with $141 million raised last month. This includes significant contributions following Trump’s conviction for falsifying business records in Manhattan. Trump campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support, attributing the fundraising surge to Americans’ desire for a return to prosperity under Trump’s leadership.
A spokesperson for the Biden campaign, Ammar Moussa, expressed skepticism about the fundraising figures, suggesting that Trump’s billionaire supporters are driving his campaign with the expectation of tax cuts in return. “One thing’s for certain: Trump’s billionaire friends are propping up the campaign of a white-collar crook because they know the deal—they cut him checks, and he cuts their taxes while working people and the middle class pay the tab,” Moussa stated. The Biden campaign has yet to formally comment on the matter.
