Trump Claims Democrats Are ‘Using Covid’ To ‘Steal The Election’ In First Convention Speech

TOPLINE

President Trump set a dark tone in his first speech of the Republican National Convention on Monday, accusing Democrats of exploiting the pandemic to steal the election, and calling the push for mail-in voting the “greatest scam in the history of American politics,” even as he joked himself about serving “12 more years” in office.

KEY FACTS

Key background

Both parties are casting the 2020 election in dire terms. Democrats are accusing Trump of attempting to restrict voting by mail to win the election, while the president says Democrats’ embrace of mail-in voting means they are attempting to rig the election. Many states have moved to ease restrictions on mail voting during the pandemic, though the rules vary widely. Even though “mail-in voting” and “absentee voting” are used interchangeably, Trump has sought to cast the former as dangerous and ripe with fraud. In practice, the two are similar, and there’s no evidence that one has more potential for fraud than the other. Absentee voting generally requires a voter submit an application, with some states mandating voters provide a reason for voting by mail. This year, some states are offering “universal mail-in voting,” which involves sending ballots to every registered voter in the state, while others have simply eased restrictions on absentee voting.  

Crucial quote

“Be very very careful,” Trump said during the end of his speech Monday. “”This is the most important election in the history of our country. Don’t let them take it away from you.” 

What to watch for

Monday marks the first day of the four day Republican National Convention. Donald Trump Jr, Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and others are all expected to speak on Monday.