MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A newly released audio recording offers a behind-the-scenes look at how former President Donald Trump’s campaign team, in a key battleground state, knew they were outmatched by Democrats in the 2020 presidential election, but even as they conceded defeat, they faced allegations of widespread fraud that were ultimately dismissed, again and again, by election officials and the courts.
Audio from November 5, 2020, two days after the election, comes as Trump again seeks the White House, continuing to lie about the legitimacy of the result and the victory of Democrat Joe Biden.
Wisconsin political operatives at the strategy session even praised Democrats’ turnout efforts in the state’s largest counties and appeared to joke about their efforts to engage black voters, according to tapes obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. The audio focuses on Andrew Iverson, who was Trump’s campaign manager in the state.
“Here’s the deal: Communications will continue to fan the flames and spread the word about Democrats trying to steal this election. We will do whatever they need. Wait if we have to do stunts,” Iverson said.
Iverson is now the Midwest Regional Director of the Republican National Committee. He deferred questions about the meeting to the RNC, whose spokesman Keith Schipper declined to comment because he had not heard the tape.
The former Republican official and campaign operative who provided a copy of the AP tape was present at the meeting and recorded it. The agent is not authorized to speak publicly about the discussions and did not want to be identified for fear of personal and professional retaliation, but said he came forward because Trump is mounting a third run for the White House.
In response to questions about the audio, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said: “The 2024 campaign is focused on competing in every state and winning the dominant way. This is why President Trump is leading poll after poll by wide margins.”
Wisconsin was a big part of Trump’s victory in 2016 when he broke through the so-called “Blue Wall” of Democrats in the Midwest, and his campaign fought hard to keep the state in his column for another four years before he- and Biden’s defeat
Biden beat Trump by nearly 21,000 votes in Wisconsin in 2020, an achievement that has withstood independent and partisan scrutiny and review, as well as lawsuits and recounts in the state’s two largest and most lopsided counties.
However, two days after the election, there was no discussion of Trump’s victory in the state at a meeting of Republican campaign workers.
Instead, parts of the meeting focus on discussing packing the campaign office and writing final reports on how the campaign fared. At one point in the recording, Iverson is heard praising the GOP’s efforts while acknowledging Trump’s margin of defeat in the state.
“Ultimately, this movement got more votes than any other Republican in the history of Wisconsin,” Iverson said. “Say what you will, our operation exposed Republican or DJT supporters. Democrats got 20,000 more than us from Dane County and other milwaukee, green bay and dane. There’s a lot people can learn from this campaign.”
The meeting presents another juxtaposition of what Republican officials knew about the election results and what Trump and his closest allies were saying publicly as they promoted the lie of a stolen election. His attorney general told Trump there was no sign of widespread fraud, and many in his own administration told the former president there was no basis for various allegations of fraud or manipulation — advice Trump ignored repeatedly.
In the weeks following the election, Trump and his allies filed dozens of lawsuits, called bogus voters and lobbied election officials in an effort to overturn the will of the voters and keep Trump in office.
It’s unclear whether the Wisconsin staff coordinated its message directly with campaign officials in Washington.
Parts of the Nov. 5 meeting also focus on Republican outreach efforts to the state’s black community.
At one point, agents laugh that they need “more black voices for Trump.” Iverson also references their efforts to engage with black voters.
“Have I ever talked to black people before? I don’t think so, he said, drawing laughter from those in the room.
Another speaker on Iverson’s tape is identified by the source as GOP operative Clayton Henson. At the time, Henson was the RNC’s regional director, responsible for Wisconsin and other Midwest states. They provide a post-mortem of sorts on the election, praising Republican turnout and campaign efforts while acknowledging Democrats’ robust turnout campaign.
Henson is specifically referring to the Democratic turnout in Dane County, which includes Madison, the state capital, and is a liberal stronghold in the state. A record 80 percent of the voting-age population voted in 2020 in the county, which Biden won with 76 percent of the vote.
Hats off to them for what they did to Dane County. You have to respect that,” Henson said. “There will be more elections in a few years. So remember the lessons you’ve learned and be ready to give back.
Henson, reached by phone Thursday, said “No thanks” when asked to comment on the meeting.
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