Trump Says November Elections a ‘Referendum’ on Biden

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on Sept. 3, 2022. Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump is urging Americans to vote for Republican candidates in November, saying the midterm election results will serve as a referendum on the Biden administration.

“This election is a referendum on skyrocketing inflation, rampant crime, soaring murders, crushing gas prices, millions and millions of illegal aliens pouring across our border, race and gender indoctrination, converting our schools,” Trump said on Sept. 3. “And above all, this election is a referendum on the corruption and extremism of [President] Joe Biden and the radical Democrat Party.”

“If you want to stop this destruction of America, you must vote Republican, you must go out and vote,” Trump added.

“We are just two months away from the most important midterm election in American history,” Trump continued, “We need a landslide so big that the radical left just cannot rig it.”

The former president made the remarks during a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening, campaigning for GOP candidates in the commonwealth, including Senate candidate Mehmet Oz and gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano. Oz is facing Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in one of the most watched races in the country.

Mehmet Oz, who is running for the U.S. Senate, speaks as former U.S. President Donald Trump stands behind him during a campaign rally at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 3, 2022. Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images

A “historic victory” for the Republican Party in November would pave the way for GOP lawmakers to tackle issues currently plaguing the nation, according to Trump.

“Among our highest priorities must be to end the nightmare Joe Biden and congressional Democrats have created on our southern border,” he said.

A recent poll, conducted for two days ending on July 29, found that 54 percent of Americans said they believe it is true or “somewhat true” that there is an invasion at the southern border.

“Another one of our highest priorities under a Republican Congress will be to stop left-wing censorship and to restore free speech in America,” Trump continued. “We don’t have free speech. Go out and sign up now, by the way, for Truth Social. Anybody on Truth Social? It’s hot. And it’s much better than Twitter.”

Trump’s Truth Social platform is available on the Apple App Store and via the web. However, the app is not listed on the Google Play Store and Google has drawn criticism for its decision.

“Google is canceling conservatives ahead of an election,” Media Research Center President Brent Bozell wrote on Twitter on Aug. 30. “They’re not even hiding their efforts to sway elections anymore.”

‘Enemy of the State’

Also at the rally, Trump blasted Biden, calling the current president an “enemy of the state.”

“This week, Joe Biden came to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to give the most vicious, hateful, and divisive speech ever delivered by an American president,” Trump said. “Vilifying 75 million citizens, plus another probably 75 to 150 if we want to be accurate about it, as threats to democracy and enemies of the state.”

“He’s the enemy of the state if you want to know the truth,” Trump continued. “The enemy of the state is him and the group that controls him.”

In a polarizing speech on Thursday night, Biden accused Trump and so-called “MAGA Republicans” of representing “extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.” MAGA stands for “Make America Great Again,” the slogan of Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign.

Biden also criticized “MAGA Republicans” as those who “embrace anger,” “thrive on chaos,” and “live not in the light of truth but in the shadow of lies.”

President Joe Biden delivers a speech at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pa., on Sept. 1, 2022. Alex Wong/Getty Images

On Friday, Biden backtracked on some of his remarks from a day earlier, saying he didn’t consider Trump supporters to be a “threat” to the United States.

Since then, Biden has drawn heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers for his speech. House GOP Conference Chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) wrote on Twitter the president’s speech was “dark and divisive.”

“On November 8th MAGA Republicans are coming out to VOTE to Save America which is under assault from the tyrannical Democrats led by Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi,” Stefanik wrote in a separate post.

Trump also hinted at a run for the president in 2024.

“We’re leading Biden, and everyone else including the Republicans, by record numbers in the polls,” Trump said. “So I may just have to do it again.”

According to a recent USA TODAY/Ipsos poll (pdf), 59 percent of Republican voters said Trump should be the GOP nominee in 2024 and he “deserves reelection.” What’s more, 82 percent of Republican voters believe Trump can win the 2024 election.

In contrast, only 44 percent said Biden should be the Democratic nominee in 2024 and deserves reelection. Only 60 percent of Democratic voters believe Biden could win in 2024.