Karl Rove Reports Receiving Threats After Announcing Support for Democratic Candidate

Karl Rove, a Republican strategist, informed an audience at the Texas Tribune Festival that he received 'credible threats' following his announcement that he would vote for a Democrat for the first time in 30 years. During a question-and-answer session, Rove expressed frustration towards Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who labeled him a 'RINO' (Republican In Name Only) for his stance. Rove questioned the commitment of those who criticized him, stating, 'Where were you when we were fighting and scrapping to build this Republican Party?' He highlighted his fundraising efforts, mentioning that he raised $13 million in 2020 for Texas State House races and has registered over 800,000 new Republicans since 2019 through his voter registration project. Rove specifically criticized Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon for their influence on Republican voters. He recounted that the threats he received prompted the Department of Public Safety to provide security at his home for a week. Rove expressed a desire to confront the individual who issued the threats, stating, 'I’d like to find who issued those credible threats, and meet that sumab*tch in a dark alley someplace!' He also referred to the Republican candidate he is opposing, John Rosenthal, as deserving of support and criticized his opponent, Bo French, as a 'bigot.' Rove noted that the threats motivated him to write a column for the Wall Street Journal titled 'Why I’m Voting For a Texas Democrat.' He concluded by mentioning that he appreciated the presence of a DPS officer for his security and acknowledged his neighbor for looking out for him.