RI Dem Strategist Tweets “It’s Wrong to Hope He Dies From COVID, Right?” About GOP Sen. Graham

RI Dem Strategist Tweets “It’s Wrong to Hope He Dies From COVID, Right?” About GOP Sen. Graham

A top Democratic strategist from Rhode Island is under fire for Tweeting “It’s wrong to hope he dies from COVID, right? Asking for a friend” — about Republican United States Senator Lindsay Graham, who was recently diagnosed with coronavirus. 

Kate Coyne McCoy has pulled down the Tweet — and issued an apology — but not before national press picked up on it.

“I made a mistake. I used poor [sic] judgement which I obviously regret,” Tweeted Coyne McCoy, who is a paid consultant to the Rhode Island Democratic Party Tuesday morning to her just over 1,200 Twitter followers. 

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"If @rigopchairwoman or any RIGOP official were to say anything like this, I would immediately and publicly demand their resignation," Tweeted RI House Minority Leader Blake Filippi. "Hoping my Democratic House colleagues do the right thing here."

About Coyne-McCoy

Coyne McCoy’s Twitter handle — which includes her website, campaignfixer.com — describes her as “mom, meme, lover of dogs, liberal political strategist working for a better world. Leading RI Democratic Party! Tweet are my own!”

In 2020, she served as a strategist to former Democratic Warwick Mayor Joseph Solomon, who lost his re-election bid to independent Frank Picozzi. 

“When America’s top political leaders, major causes and interest groups need a helping hand, they turn to Kate Coyne-McCoy. Coyne-McCoy is a sought - after campaign strategist who has worked in 45 states at every level of electoral campaigns–local school board to US president.  She is a career maker for many women up and down the ballot. In the 2020 cycle Coyne-McCoy served as senior advisor to Congresswoman Val Demings during her Vice-Presidential vetting process,” according to her website. 

“She provided speech coaching to then presidential candidate John Hickenlooper and guided the political program for Florida’s Ruth’s List—advising more than 100 candidates.  Kate recruited now Secretary of US Commerce and former RI Governor Gina Raimondo to run for Treasurer- launching her public service career.  In 2016 Coyne-McCoy launched and contributed to the election of the first Latina to hold statewide office in New England.”