AUSTIN, Texas - Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., suggested that "30%" of Republican voters will never vote for Democrats because of their racism, sexism and homophobia.
Speaking at the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival on Saturday, Pelosi was pressed by podcast host Kara Swisher on why the presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump 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.
"And then you have very, very rich people who do not really want to pay taxes or have any regulation of clean air, clean water, any of that. So you have to deal with that. Now, it's not as many very, very rich people, but it's a lot of money that goes into a campaign."
"But here's where I think we have to be as respectful and understanding as possible," she continued. "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. Their father is a truck driver, and now they're gonna have auto-"
"Autonomous truck," Swisher interjected.
"Yeah," Pelosi replied. "And so the innovation, globalization, and they include immigration… So, understandably, these people have a concern about the future for themselves, but also for their children."
Pelosi later told Swisher that she believed Trump has as much support as he does because he's a good "snake oil salesman."
Pelosi's comments resemble Hillary Clinton's infamous "basket of deplorables" comment during the 2016 election about Trump supporters.
"You can put half of Trump's supporters into what I call a basket of deplorables," Clinton said at a campaign event. "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 conversation, Pelosi suggested Trump would be a no-show at the ABC News Presidential Debate on Tuesday.
When asked what debate advice she'd give Trump, Pelosi quipped, "You think he’s gonna show up?"
"Do you know something I don’t know?" Swisher asked after predicting Trump would appear at the debate.
"I know cowardice when I see it," Pelosi responded.