The White House refused on Tuesday to provide evidence to verify its claim that voter suppression is happening in Georgia.
What is the background?
After early voting began in Georgia last week, the Peach State has experienced record turnout for early voting in a midterm election. Turnout, in fact, has almost eclipsed record levels for a presidential election.
Georgians are thus quickly dismantling Democrats’ narrative that claims the election integrity law passed last year ushered in modern-day Jim Crow, seeking to restrict voting access in a discriminatory manner.
What did the WH say?
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked Tuesday whether President Joe Biden stands by his claim that Georgia’s law is akin to Jim Crow laws.
After dancing around a direct answer, she indicated that Biden has not changed his position.
“High turnout and voter suppression can take place at the same time,” Jean-Pierre said. “One doesn’t have to happen on its own. They could be happening at the same time.”
When asked directly whether the White House believes voter suppression is in fact taking place in Georgia, Jean-Pierre said she did not “want to get into specifics of what is currently happening in one race.”
“But doesn’t that record turnout show that Georgia voters are finding ways to vote, even amid the —” the reporter followed up before Jean-Pierre interrupted.
“Look, again, I’m not going to get into specifics of what Georgia voters are doing,” the press secretary interjected. “What I am saying is that, you know, generally speaking, again — more broadly speaking, of course — high turnout and voter suppression can take place at the same time.”
10/25/22: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre youtu.be
Anything else?
The response — that voter suppression still happens despite high voter turnout — is a narrative being parroted by Democrats and the media.
For example, the campaign of Democrat Stacey Abrams told Fox News high voter turnout in Georgia is a result of Democratic mobilization and voters who are enthusiastic to remove Gov. Brian Kemp (R).
“High turnout is not synonymous to voter access—rather the power of organizing and the urgency of voters to remove Brian Kemp and his allies’ far-right extremism from their communities,” said press secretary Jaylen Black.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Chait wrote in New York magazine, “The early results in Georgia are consistent with the outcomes of other voting restrictions. Evidence suggests voter suppression has little effect on turnout, because Democrats mobilize in response to restrictions, canceling out much or all of the suppressive effect.”