Former Barack Obama strategist David Axelrod suggested on his podcast that severe storms in North Carolina could impact former President Donald Trump‘s voter turnout in the November election.
Axelrod’s remarks on Hacks on Tap have intensified debates over the politicization of natural disasters, particularly during Hurricane Helene‘s devastation.
The Democratic analyst speculated about the electoral consequences of “killer storms” in western North Carolina. He contrasted Asheville’s “upscale” and “liberal” voters, whom he believed would find ways to cast ballots, with Trump supporters in more rural storm-affected areas.
“I’m not sure a bunch of these folks who’ve 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 stated.
His comments drew criticism from conservative figures. Mollie Hemingway, editor-in-chief of The Federalist, suggested on X, formerly Twitter, that Axelrod’s perspective might explain perceived failures in the Biden administration’s disaster response: “I fear that Axelrod’s point is why [Vice President Kamala] Harris and [President Joe] Biden are letting these people drown.”
Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce accused Axelrod of dismissing rural Trump voters, writing on X: “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?”
Responding to the backlash on October 5 on X, Axelrod shifted focus to Trump’s claims about disaster relief.
“It is remarkable the degree to which Trump can brazenly sell utter lies, despite all the evidence to the contrary. Latest: Hurricane-plagued states of GA and NC (battleground states, for those who aren’t following along) were deprived of rescue money because immigrants had taken it all. None of it even remotely true.”
Newsweek reached out to Axelrod and the Trump campaign via email for comment.
Political analyst David Axelrod in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 13, 2015. Axelrod was blasted for comments made about Trump voters in North Carolina.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The situation unfolds as North Carolina emerges as a crucial battleground state. Recent polls indicate a tight race between Trump and Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.
A Washington Post survey released on October 1 showed Trump with a narrow 2-point lead over Harris. As of October 6, FiveThirtyEight’s polling average gives Trump a slim 0.8-point lead (48.1 percent to 47.3 percent) in the state.
North Carolina’s importance in the electoral map is significant. If Trump secures the state with Pennsylvania and Georgia, he could reach the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the election, barring upsets elsewhere.
However, Hurricane Helene’s impact on the election remains a concern. The Category 4 storm caused widespread destruction across southeastern states, including North Carolina. Officials report at least 225 dead across multiple states, with about 75 active missing persons cases in Buncombe County, North Carolina, alone as of Friday.
The storm’s timing is particularly critical, as early voting in North Carolina had already begun. Concerns persist about potential impacts on mail-in ballot collection and polling place availability, which could affect voter turnout and access.
Meanwhile, Trump has made unsubstantiated claims about the Biden administration’s disaster response, alleging that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) diverted disaster relief money to illegal migrants.
Trump also falsely claimed that Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, with whom he held a joint news conference concerning disaster relief efforts, was unable to contact Biden about federal disaster assistance over the phone.
These claims have been debunked by fact-checkers and criticized by both local and national media.
The joint editorial board of North Carolina’s two largest newspapers, The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer published an op-ed titled “Shame on Donald Trump for worsening NC’s Helene tragedy with political lies,” rebuking the former president for spreading misinformation.
