Fox guest says ‘MyPillow-ization’ of GOP by ‘cartoon characters’ like Mike Lindell is hurting Republicans

‘This is why Mitch McConnell was warning well in advance we have a candidate quality problem,’ Doug Heye says

Former Republican National Committee communications director Doug Heye appeared on Fox News in the aftermath of the midterm elections to lambast what he termed the “My-Pillow-ization” of the Republican Party, as the GOP and its boosters continue to grapple with its electoral underperformance on Tuesday.

Mr Heye appeared on the programme America Newsroom, where he was asked by host Bill Hemmer if he agreed with GOP strategist Karl Rove’s analysis in The Wall Street Journal that Republicans fielded inadequate candidates in the midterms.

He did, noting in no uncertain terms that this is not the first election cycle in which Republicans have hurt their chances of success by fielding first-time candidates with no background in public service and extreme views out of line with a majority of Americans.

“We could go back to 2010 and 2012 where we saw a lot of these terrible first-time candidates that caused Senate races to fall by the wayside in Nevada, Delaware, Indiana, Missouri,” Mr Heye said. “And this is why Mitch McConnell was warning well in advance we have a candidate quality problem.

“But what we’ve is seen a real intensification of this problem from top to bottom,” Mr Heye continued. “House and Senate candidates, secretary of state candidates and governors and the like. And it’s what I call the My Pillow-ization of the Republican Party, is we’ve attracted these more cartoon characters.”

Mr Heye could have been referring to any number of high-profile Republican candidates who clinched their nominations with the support of former President Donald Trump, ranging from Herschel Walker in Georgia to Doug Mastriano and Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania to Tim Michels in Wisconsin and Blake Masters in Arizona.

Of all the Republican candidates on Tuesday, those who engaged in election denalism are among those faring the worst. The majority of those candidates for secretary of state and governor have lost or are losing. It’s a lesson that the likes of Mr Heye believes Republicans must heed as they head into the 2024 election cycle.

“If somebody’s speaking at a rally with a president or a presidential candidate is best known as a pillow salesman, run to high heaven,” Mr Heye said, referring to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a top ally of Mr Trump who has supported flase claims of election fraud. “Because you’re going to see more of these cartoon characters who are trying to make money off of the party, become Instagram influencers and celebrities more than they are about being serious legislators. There’s a reason Madison Cawthorn lost his primary in North Carolina. He telegraphed and said clearly, ‘I’m not serious.’

Of note: Mr Trump is expected to announce his newest campaign for president in the coming days.