RNC chair says Republicans have voter turnout problem

Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Joe Gruters acknowledged that Republicans are facing issues with voter turnout amid heightened pressure for the GOP to maintain control of Congress.

“Is there a turnout problem for Republicans?” NewsNation’s Chris Stirewalt asked Gruters on “The Hill Sunday.”

“Yes, but Democrats tend to turn out early. We tend to vote on Election Day. We expect large turnouts across this country. We know our base is motivated,” the RNC chair responded.

“If our voters turn out, we win. That’s what Senator Cruz is trying to communicate. You can’t sit back and think that we’re going to win if you don’t show up to the polls,” Gruters continued, likely referring to Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) warning that “ massive Democratic turnout ” might mean a “bloodbath” for Republicans on Nov. 3.

“Democrats are showing up, they’re energized, they hate, hate, hate Donald Trump,” Cruz said on a Friday episode of “The Verdict with Ted Cruz.” “If the election were over today, if just the early votes that have been cast so far are counted, Republicans would lose massively.”

Recent polling ahead of Election Day has Democrats leading Republicans, with an Emerson College Polling survey and a CNN/SSRS poll both giving Democrats a 10-point advantage.

Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), The Hill’s partner, forecasts that Democrats have an 83 percent chance of taking the House and a 62 percent chance of winning the Senate.

“That’s why the president’s out there every single day being an absolute machine. We have to win this race, and in order to do that, we need our voters to turn out on Tuesday,” Gruters added.

President Trump has held many rallies throughout the country campaigning for GOP candidates, hoping to lift their chances.

On Thursday, the RNC announced that Trump would hold tele-rallies for 19 states, with Gruters writing in a press release, “Voters across the country want to hear from President Trump before Election Day, and this 72-hour sprint will be a huge boost in the closing days.”