BUFFALO (WBEN) - "Mail ballots, they cheat," President Trump said back in September. During September 29th's presidential debate, the President insisted the election had already been "rigged," adding: "As far as the ballots are concerned, it's a disaster."
President Trump has consistently been casting doubt over the mail-in voting process throughout the election cycle. While there has been no evidence to support the idea of a widespread voter fraud scheme, the President has stuck to his guns in insisting an unfair election.
"You know all of the things with bundling and all of the things that are happening right now with votes by mail where thousands of votes are gathered, and I'm not going to say which party does it, but thousands of votes are gathered, and then they're dumped in a location...and all of the sudden, you lose elections you think you were going to win - I won't stand for it," said Trump back in April.
However, some within the Republican Party fear the messaging coming from the President and the White House could have negative consequences for candidates down-ballot.
"Republicans are concerned about that," said Republican Strategist Carl Calabrese. "I've talked to a number of them who have expressed a frustration and exasperation about the message coming from the President on the nature of mail-in voting and how it may not be secure. I think it's a self-defeating message for not only him but also Republican candidates at every level."
On a local lever, when asked if the messaging could help inadvertently help Democrats and hurt Republicans down-ballot, Erie County Democratic Chair Jeremy Zellner said he doesn't want to see anybody hurt by voter suppression tactics.
"As party leaders, this is the time where we recruit candidates, find more activists and get people out to vote - that's our job, that's what we're here to do," said Zellner. "(We're not here) to scare people into not voting or not using a form of voting - that is a shameful act."
In fact, Calabrese believes the messaging should have encouraged as much voter participation as possible in as may ways as possible.
"I think, and a lot of Republican strategists think that the message should have been just the opposite," he said. "If you have any fear about going to vote in public or that the voting lines are going to be too long, or if you want to take advantage of the convenience, go ahead and do it. Vote for your Republican candidates in the mail if you don't want to do it in person...but the message I think should have been to get out the vote."
