Souls to the Polls Calls for Removal of Wisconsin GOP Executive Director Over Election Day Text Messages
Souls to the Polls Calls for Removal of Wisconsin GOP Executive Director Over Election Day Text Messages
Souls to the Polls, a voting rights group in Wisconsin, has called for the removal of the Republican Party of Wisconsin’s new executive director, Andrew Iverson, over text messages from Election Day 2020. The messages, revealed by the Journal Sentinel, showed Iverson asking for Trump supporters to flood the Milwaukee-based organization with requests for rides to the polls.
At a press conference outside a new early voting site in Milwaukee, Souls to the Polls Wisconsin Executive Director Greg Lewis condemned the text messages as part of a pattern of voter suppression and racism. He and other group representatives highlighted the larger context, including email communication from a member of the Wisconsin Elections Commission praising GOP efforts to discourage Black voter turnout in Milwaukee.
The text messages in question were sent by Iverson to Carlton Huffman, then Trump Victory’s state strategic initiative director, on Election Day. Iverson asked Huffman to get Trump supporters to participate in Souls to the Polls and “wreak havoc” by showing up at polling locations wearing MAGA hats.
Iverson has since claimed that the messages were jokes and not meant to be taken seriously. However, Huffman, who was fired from his job in North Carolina due to his white supremacist views, disputed this, saying Iverson’s intent was to overwhelm and discourage Souls to the Polls.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin defended Iverson, pointing the blame at Huffman and calling him a known white supremacist. They praised Iverson’s integrity and commitment to electing Republicans.
Speakers at the press conference criticized Iverson for his actions, with some holding signs denouncing GOP voter suppression tactics. They emphasized the importance of safeguarding the election process and defending the rights of marginalized communities.
Angela Lang, executive director of Black Leaders Organizing Communities, condemned Iverson’s claim that the messages were a joke, calling it a poor excuse. She highlighted the harmful impact of such actions on communities of color and stressed the need to address voter suppression tactics.
The news of the text messages has sparked calls for investigation by state and federal authorities into what is being described as a potential conspiracy to suppress Black voters. The controversy surrounding Iverson’s actions underscores the ongoing challenges faced by organizations working to ensure fair and equal access to the voting process.