Avenatti Says Democrats Won't Win by Shaming Trump Voters

(Bloomberg) -- Michael Avenatti told a crowd of Californians at a Democratic fundraiser that they can’t beat the Republicans in the midterm election or defeat Donald Trump in 2020 if they shame the president’s voters.

Avenatti, the lawyer for porn actress Stormy Daniels who is floating a possible presidential run of his own, said at the event late Monday in downtown Los Angeles that if Democrats punish Trump voters for the president’s assault on liberal ideals, “we will lose them forever."

"We have to reach out to some Trump voters and welcome them home," Avenatti said at the event for Flip The 14, a political action committee that aims to turn California’s 14 red districts blue in November. Many Trump voters simply got "conned" into voting against their interests, he said.

The Beverly Hills-based lawyer was the keynote speaker at the event, where the crowd was warmed up with jokes about Trump and his embattled Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, by the political commentator and comedian Stephanie Miller.

"Let’s face it -- Donald Trump is a very, very good con man," Avenatti said. “We have to give them a reason to vote for a Democrat again.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Larson in New York at elarson4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: David Glovin at dglovin@bloomberg.net

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