Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich blasts President Biden's policies and says the Democratic Party lives in a 'fantasy world' on 'The Ingraham Angle.'

Many Republicans will be shocked to learn that Election Day 2024 happens long before Nov. 5.

In fact, it hurts the Republican cause – and the elections of President Donald Trump and House and Senate Republicans – to focus narrowly on Nov. 5.

The first election dates are Sept. 16 in Pennsylvania and then Sept. 20 in Minnesota and South Dakota. The next election days are Sept. 23 in Mississippi, and Sept. 24 in Missouri. There are 43 other states and the District of Columbia that follow with their early voting dates. Only Alabama and New Hampshire do not have early voting.

CONNECTICUT BECOMES ONE OF LAST STATES TO ALLOW IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING

Here's an example of why this matters: In 2022, the Republican Senate campaign in Pennsylvania was focused on Election Day in November. The campaign did not begin advertising until long after early voting had started. As a result, 40% of Pennsylvanians had already cast their ballots before the first major Republican ad had aired.

This pattern was not unique to that race.

Republicans have a history of failing to get the vote out early. This has a compounding negative effect.

First, it means Republican turnout on Election Day must be dramatically higher to make up for the number of Democratic votes already in the ballot box. Second, and probably more important, it........

© Fox News