Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist George Will on Tuesday said that a Republican presidential defeat by narrow margins will divide the party more.
"If it’s a narrow defeat, that’s the worst conceivable outcome for Republicans because it will be the old stab-in-the-back theory that but for people like (House Speaker Paul) Ryan, (Senator Ben) Sasse all would have been well," said Will while speaking to ABC News' Jonathan Karl and Rick Klein on the "Powerhouse Politics" podcast.
"If the electoral college does its duty and vastly exaggerates the emphatic nature of the outcome — that is, Mrs. Clinton may win by four points but well over 300 electoral votes — that would help the Republicans."
Will, a columnist for The Washington Post, said in order for the GOP party to get back on solid footing it has to distance itself from divisive candidates, the "indignation industry" of talk radio and cable personalities, review its nominating process and get "right with minorities in this country."
Until it does the latter, he said, "it's never going to win another presidential election."
Many big name Republicans have voiced displeasure with party nominee Donald Trump and announced support for his opponent, Hillary Clinton. Ryan did not say he would vote for Clinton, but condemned Trump over a tape released of him making lewd comments about women. Sasse in May said he wouldn’t vote for Trump or Clinton and posed the question, "WHY is that the only choice?"
Will on Tuesday also questioned FBI Director James Comey’s decision to announce the agency’s renewal into how Clinton handled classified information just 11 days before the election and said it would be best if Comey stayed silent at this point.
"This is not news people can use," said Will. "It’s of no help to voters."