Democrat strategist and former Obama adviser David Axelrod admitted the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene would likely hurt Trump more than Harris at the ballot box, noting that the hardest-hit regions lean more Republican.
“Here’s my question about North Carolina, you had these killer storms, which by the way was a third big story this week. And, there’s a lot of displacement in western North Carolina. Now, Asheville is a blue dot,” he said Friday on his podcast Hacks on Tap, adding that those residents are mostly “upscale, kind of liberal voters” who would “figure out a way to vote.”
On his podcast @davidaxelrod says Democrat voters in Asheville, North Carolina are smarter, wealthier and will still show up to vote for Kamala while he thinks Trump voters won’t. This is why Kamala and Biden aren’t helping, they benefit from the disaster: pic.twitter.com/CqCAY0An74
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 4, 2024
“I’m not sure a bunch of these folks who had their homes and lives destroyed elsewhere in western North Carolina — in the mountains there — are going to be as easy to wrangle for the Trump campaign,” Axelrod added.
Many on social media slammed Axelrod’s comments as insulting and out of touch and noted his remarks explain why FEMA has been neglecting to provide — and according to some reports, even actively blocking — adequate relief to the Republican-leaning hurricane-affected areas.
Did ya know that famous Democrat operative David Axelrod figures city Democrats are smarter and more resourceful and will figure out how to vote whereas the dumb Trump deplorables up in the mountains of NC who just lost everything, won't. Was he on the verge of a Kamala cackle? https://t.co/Kir40S1Upg
— Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) October 4, 2024
U mean the dumb hillbillies David? The ones trapped and left to die by FEMA? Ya they probably won’t show…smug hubris
— Artiste DuBois (@artiste_dubois) October 4, 2024
What he’s actually saying is…Kamala voters in Asheville are wealthier and smarter and will figure out a way to go vote. While the backwoods, inbred Trump voters are too stupid to do the same.
— DeeplorableRN (@DeeplorableRN) October 4, 2024
When these people tell you who they are, LISTEN!
They're celebrating that the poors may not be able to vote because they've been destroyed by a natural disaster.
— Dave Diamond. Fan of logic, hysteria begone! (@DaveDia98622441) October 4, 2024
These people are monsters who should never be anywhere near power, ever.
These clowns 🤡 think the Americans who are digging themselves out of the devastation with the aid of Patriots, despite the Government’s bureaucratic response, won’t find a way to VOTE. 🤦 Too Big to Rig 🇺🇸
— Mike Murdy (@MikeMurdy) October 4, 2024
All a part of developing the narrative that ensures their ability to cheat.
— Political Blasphememes (@PBlasphememes) October 4, 2024
Far-left publication Politico likewise claimed that the “Trump strongholds” in North Carolina and Georgia hardest hit by Hurricane Helene could “swing the election” in favor of Democrats.
“Hurricane Helene hit especially hard in heavily Republican areas of Georgia and North Carolina — a fact that could work to Donald Trump’s disadvantage in the two swing states,” the outlet stated.
“The challenge for Trump: The parts of western North Carolina and eastern Georgia that were flooded by the monster storm are largely Republican. In 2020, he won 61 percent of the vote in the North Carolina counties that were declared a disaster after Helene. He won 54 percent of the vote in Georgia’s disaster counties.”