Some Republican strategists and allies are privately urging former President Donald Trump to shift his focus from relitigating the 2020 election to his current campaign for the White House, according to a Politico report. The concern is that a persistent focus on the past could alienate moderate and independent voters crucial for winning the 2026 election.
"I'm always one to believe you should look forward, not backward," said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania-based GOP strategist and a Trump delegate to the 2024 Republican National Convention, in the report. Gerow was involved in the 2020 fake electors scheme in Pennsylvania, a plan now under legal scrutiny.
This internal tension highlights a strategic divide within the Republican Party as it prepares for the next presidential race. While Trump's core base remains fiercely loyal to his claims of a stolen election, some party operatives worry the message has diminishing returns with the broader electorate needed to secure victory.
The push comes as several legal cases related to the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol attack continue to unfold, keeping the issue in the public eye. Trump has consistently maintained his false claim that the 2020 election was rigged, a position that remains a central pillar of his political identity.
