Anti-Trump GOP Group’s Billboards Mock Trump’s Guilty Verdict: "Won’t Vote for Convicted Felon"

After Donald Trump's guilty conviction in the contentious hush money case in New York, a coalition of anti-Trump Republicans is seizing the opportunity to slam him. Republican Voters Against Trump, a GOP organization that seeks to mobilize voters against the former president, began a blitz of advertisements bearing the slogan “I Won’t Vote for a Convicted Felon” in Philadelphia and other key Pennsylvanian cities, Axios reported.

On June 4, the billboards went up along busy roads in and around Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. One of the campaign's faces, Philadelphia attorney Robert Nix, clarified that the advertisements are meant to appeal to people who, like him, switched from supporting Trump to supporting President Joe Biden in 2020. “We’re not going to change any MAGA minds. But in a race this close, any small amount helps,” said Nix, a Nikki Haley supporter.

The campaign is part of a $50 million national effort to “re-create the anti-Trump coalition that won last time.” They are aimed at four of the six crucial battleground states that are anticipated to impact the outcome of the next election, as per The Washington Times. Pennsylvania is a critical target for the RVAT because of the state's sizable swing voter population. The billboards, which include former Trump allies, are meant to remind people of Trump's recent legal issues and raise doubts about his readiness for public service.

Pennsylvania, which Biden narrowly defeated by over 80,000 votes in 2020, is still a competitive state with more than 3.5 million Republicans and almost 1 million independent voters (around 11%). There is a sizable pool of possible swing voters in Philadelphia County alone, where the number of registered Republicans is almost equal to that of unaffiliated voters.

Emeritus professor of politics at St. Joe's, Randall Miller, thinks that the 'felon' campaign, especially coming from a Republican group, is very effective. “This is a public referendum of sorts on your behavior,” he said. “We like to think of our presidents as being representative of our best values. 'Felon' is not somebody who represents most people's best values.”

Several recent surveys highlight how closely divided Pennsylvania voters are between Biden and Trump. A Morning Consult poll taken just after Trump's conviction indicated that 49% of independents and 15% of Republicans believe Trump should terminate his campaign given the verdict. In a head-to-head comparison, the survey shows a near tie between Biden and Trump (44% vs 45%).

Republican Voters Against Trump intends to step up its efforts as the election draws closer, putting more billboards and voter testimonies on TV and other platforms. By ensuring that the message reaches a large audience and reinforcing it, this 'surround sound' strategy hopes to tilt the scales come November.