(Headline USA) Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., claimed this week that 30% of GOP voters will never back a Democratic candidate because they are racist, sexist, or homophobic.
Pelosi made the divisive comment during a Texas Tribune Festival interview on Saturday when asked why the race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is so close.
“There are people who will never be, shall we say, inclined to support Democrats because of — they just have a different orientation toward women, people of color, LGBTQ, you know, they just are not ever going to be there,” Pelosi said. “So, say that’s about like 30% or something like that … of the Republicans.”
Then there are “very, very rich people” who will never back Democrats because they “do not really want to pay taxes or have any regulation of clean air, clean water, any of that,” Pelosi continued.
After insulting Republican voters, Pelosi urged Democrats to be “understanding” of their political opponents.
“We have to be as respectful and understanding as possible,” Pelosi said. “There are people who are concerned. They have fear of globalization. They saw the factory down the road move overseas. They’re fearful of innovation.”
Pelosi immediately drew comparisons to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “deplorables” comment during the 2016 campaign.
“You can put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call a basket of deplorables,” she said at the time. “They’re racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that, and he has lifted them up.”
During the same Texas Tribune event, Pelosi baselessly suggested Trump wouldn’t show up to Tuesday’s debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I know cowardice when I see it,” she claimed.
In response, the Trump campaign blasted Pelosi for spreading misinformation.
“Nancy Pelosi has no idea what she is talking about and has been proven to be a liar and fraud,” said Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung.
