Biden Competitive In Alaska? Republicans Fret Over Trump Odds In Once-Reliable Red States

Topline

In the final days of the 2020 election, Republicans have become shockingly outspoken in their belief that President Donald Trump is disfavored to win reelection on Tuesday and is even poised to lose some once-reliably Republican states, according to a report in the Washington Post.

Key Facts

Surprising Fact

Trump’s economic adviser, Stephen Moore, predicts he will lose, telling the Daily Beast, “I believe the betting markets, which say there’s a 60 percent chance that Biden wins, and a 40 percent chance that Trump does.”

Key Background

Trump narrowly took Georgia and Arizona in 2016, and the two will likely be critical for any winning electoral college coalition the president hopes to build. But he faces an even tougher battle in more traditional battleground states, such as Pennsylvania, where he trails by 5.1 points in the FiveThirtyEight average, Wisconsin, where he trails by 8.6 points, and Michigan, where he trails by 8.8 points.

Chief Critic

“We have a big red wave that has formed,” Trump told reporters on Saturday, claiming that he’s doing “very very well” with Black and Hispanic voters and “very well” overall.

Crucial Quote

“We think that [Trump] and [Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.)] are very intrinsically tied together,” McLaughlin told the Post, noting “terrifying” prospects in defending Georgia’s two Senate seats. The Post reported last week that Trump told donors keeping GOP control of the Senate is “very tough” and, “There are a couple senators I can’t really get involved in. I just can’t do it. You lose your soul if you do… I don’t want to help some of them.”