Here are the issues Newt Gingrich says are crucial to GOP midterm victory

Cami Mondeaux

September 12, 08:45 AM September 12, 08:45 AM

As Republicans seek to regain their majorities in Congress, the party must distance itself from former President Donald Trump and instead focus on the issues voters care about the most, according to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

The advice comes as Republican chances of winning the Senate have shifted from a likely result to a toss-up in recent weeks — prompting last-minute strategy changes within the party to regain its edge. Democrats have taken advantage of these new projections, homing in on struggling GOP candidates and the changing political environment to bolster themselves ahead of November.

NEWT GINGRICH: A FIVE-POINT PLAN TO SECURE A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY COME NOVEMBER

“The August strategy (cooked up by the propaganda media and Democratic consultants) that relied on using phony polls and personal attacks on Republican candidates has now failed,” Gingrich wrote in an op-ed for the Washington Examiner. “The momentum is shifting back to Republicans. So what, then, should Republican candidates do to maximize their victory this fall?”

To better their chances, Republicans must adhere to a five-point plan in order to secure victories in the midterm elections, the former House speaker said.

These steps include distancing from Democrats’ efforts to tie GOP candidates to Trump and focusing on “the issues that matter in the lives of everyday people,” Gingrich wrote. Most notably, candidates should focus on proposing solutions to rising crime rates and inflation.

Inflation has emerged as a top concern for voters ahead of the midterm elections, with 30% of people identifying it as their biggest concern, according to an NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist poll. This may give Republicans an advantage in November because voters overwhelmingly consider the party better at handling the economy compared to Democrats, the poll found.

Interestingly, Gingrich’s strategy doesn’t mention abortion, which came in as the No. 2 concern among voters, according to the poll. Abortion rights emerged as a key voter issue over the summer shortly after the Supreme Court announced its decision to reverse Roe v. Wade, ending nationwide access to abortions and instead returning the decision of its legality to the states.

The reversal of Roe has given Democratic candidates somewhat of a boost in their midterm campaigns, and the party seeks to use it to motivate voter turnout. Alternatively, Republicans have found themselves on the defensive after the Supreme Court decision was released, with several candidates reversing or clarifying previous anti-abortion comments to broaden their bases.

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Overall, Republicans should tie themselves to the “Commitment to America” strategy from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Gingrich wrote. The plan, which is set to be unveiled later this month, will provide GOP candidates with a unified message that focuses on a strong economy, national security, individual freedoms, and government accountability, according to Axios.

“Kevin McCarthy’s ‘Commitment to America’ is going to be a wonderful contrast with the negative attacks and failed performance of Biden and the Democrats,” Gingrich wrote. “Study it. Talk about it. Show America how a party with commitment and optimism can achieve what a party with hate and anger cannot.”