The political strategist leading the Rhode Island Democratic Party said she hopes Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham dies from COVID-19.
“It’s wrong to hope he dies from Covid right? Asking for a friend. #COVIDISNOTOVER #LINDSEYGRAHAM,” Kate Coyne-McCoy wrote on Monday night in a since-deleted tweet.
The de facto executive director of the @RIDemParty apparently wants #SCSEN @LindseyGrahamSC to die of coronavirus.
Any comment: #RIGOV @DanMcKeeRI,#RISEN @jackreed2020 @SheldonforRI, #RI01 @davidcicilline, #RI02 @LangevinForRI? https://t.co/KfXTsBmjsJ pic.twitter.com/bqLkrTuyAU
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) August 3, 2021
Graham, who is vaccinated, first announced that he tested positive on Monday. In the tweet, the South Carolina Republican said he “started having flu-like symptoms” on Saturday but only had “mild symptoms” as of Monday afternoon.
I feel like I have a sinus infection and at present time I have mild symptoms.
I will be quarantining for ten days.
I am very glad I was vaccinated because without vaccination I am certain I would not feel as well as I do now.
My symptoms would be far worse.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 2, 2021
Graham has yet to issue a statement addressing the death wish, but after receiving backlash on social media, Coyne-McCoy removed her initial tweet and posted a follow-up statement on Tuesday claiming she “made a mistake.”
“I used poor judgement which I obviously regret,” Coyne-McCoy wrote.
https://twitter.com/katecoynemccoy/status/1422517966957068289?s=20
The Rhode Island Democratic Party did not immediately return The Federalist’s request for comment or questions about whether Coyne-McCoy would continue her work with the party. The Rhode Island Republican Party, however, issued a public statement on behalf of its chair Sue Cienki calling for “the immediate resignation” of Coyne-McCoy because of her tweet.
“She is a malevolent partisan hack,” Cienki told the Boston Globe. “Is this the Rhode Island Democratic strategy — to hope a Republican dies?”
RI Republican @rigopchairwoman Sue Cienki calls for the immediate resignation of RI Democrat progressive strategist @katecoynemccoy over her post on US Senator @LindseyGrahamSC. @TuckerCarlson @IngrahamAngle @SeanHannity @OANN @newsmax @foxnation @foxnewspolitics @nypost pic.twitter.com/3TSE6TNMzm
— RI Republican Party (@RhodeIslandGOP) August 3, 2021
“Ms. Coyne-McCoy is a political strategist, as such every thing done in the political arena is calculated for political effect,” the state GOP also tweeted. “She works as a progressive Democrat strategist. Does this meet with their approval? Where is @RISpeaker @RIDemChair @SenatorRuggerio @GovDanMcKee?”
Ms. Coyne-McCoy is a political strategist, as such every thing done in the political arena is calculated for political effect. She works as a progressive Democrat strategist. Does this meet with their approval? Where is @RISpeaker @RIDemChair @SenatorRuggerio @GovDanMcKee? https://t.co/m9VxQVv2tj
— RI Republican Party (@RhodeIslandGOP) August 3, 2021
Rhode Island House Minority Leader Blake Filippi joined in the chorus of people chastising Coyne-McCoy on Twitter and called for her resignation.
“If @rigopchairwoman or any RIGOP official were to say anything like this, I would immediately and publicly demand their resignation. Hoping my Democratic House colleagues do the right thing here,” he wrote.
If @rigopchairwoman or any RIGOP official were to say anything like this, I would immediately and publicly demand their resignation. Hoping my Democratic House colleagues do the right thing here. pic.twitter.com/yGtA7cil2i
— Rep. Blake Filippi (@Blake_Filippi) August 3, 2021
