Republicans walked into 'one of the stupidest traps I've ever seen': ex-GOP operative

Source: Raw Story · Bias: Far Left

Summary

The GOP is walking into an embarrassing trap by stumping for one of Trump's vanity projects, said an ex-GOP political operative on Friday."This is one of the stupidest political traps I've ever seen somebody walk themselves into," said former Republican political strategist Rick Wilson during an appearance on MS NOW. "I want Republicans to vote for the ballroom."Wilson was talking about Trump's White House ballroom. Senate Republicans are asking that taxpayers fork over $1 billion to fund security features in the Trump ballroom and have tied the demand into a $70 billion reconciliation package to fund federal immigration enforcement."I want them to go out and cheerlead for the ballroom every day," Wilson said, as he would like to see the GOP continue to shoot itself in the foot. "The GOP, while they're nervous...They're still not going to publicly defy Trump."Wilson explained that "the ads write themselves" as farmers in rural districts deal with "record farm bankruptcies and unbelievably high fuel costs." It would be easy to imagine "that farmer looking straight into the camera saying, 'you know, we're going to lose the farm, we're going bankrupt, but at least I get to pay for a ballroom with my taxes,'" Wilson said."The suburban mom at the grocery store or at the gas pump: 'At least I get to pay for a ballroom. Can't really afford to go to work, but I'm going to pay for the ballroom,'" Wilson said."If they cast this vote, it is going to get hung around their neck like a dead animal," Wilson predicted. "And it's going to stink all the way to election day."

Related Coverage

Daily Analysis

Read the full Parallax Pulse for May 8, 2026 — an AI-powered analysis of how Left and Right media covered the biggest stories this day.

More Headlines From May 8, 2026

Republicans walked into 'one of the stupidest traps I've ever seen': ex-GOP operative
Raw Story

Republicans walked into 'one of the stupidest traps I've ever seen': ex-GOP operative

Far Left

The GOP is walking into an embarrassing trap by stumping for one of Trump's vanity projects, said an ex-GOP political operative on Friday."This is one of the stupidest political traps I've ever seen somebody walk themselves into," said former Republican political strategist Rick Wilson during an appearance on MS NOW. "I want Republicans to vote for the ballroom."Wilson was talking about Trump's White House ballroom. Senate Republicans are asking that taxpayers fork over $1 billion to fund security features in the Trump ballroom and have tied the demand into a $70 billion reconciliation package to fund federal immigration enforcement."I want them to go out and cheerlead for the ballroom every day," Wilson said, as he would like to see the GOP continue to shoot itself in the foot. "The GOP, while they're nervous...They're still not going to publicly defy Trump."Wilson explained that "the ads write themselves" as farmers in rural districts deal with "record farm bankruptcies and unbelievably high fuel costs." It would be easy to imagine "that farmer looking straight into the camera saying, 'you know, we're going to lose the farm, we're going bankrupt, but at least I get to pay for a ballroom with my taxes,'" Wilson said."The suburban mom at the grocery store or at the gas pump: 'At least I get to pay for a ballroom. Can't really afford to go to work, but I'm going to pay for the ballroom,'" Wilson said."If they cast this vote, it is going to get hung around their neck like a dead animal," Wilson predicted. "And it's going to stink all the way to election day."