Corey Lewandowski may use Judiciary Committee hearing to launch New Hampshire Senate run

Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski will appear before the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday to answer questions about incidents outlined in special counsel Robert Mueller's report. But he may use the appearance as a way to launch his New Hampshire Senate run.

Axios reported Sunday that the former top aide to President Donald Trump is eager for a fiery exchange between him and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and other Democrats.

“Corey will use [the hearing] as part of the campaign. He will be confrontational to the Democrats. He will be totally loyal to Trump. And he will be playing to the right-wing of the party who need to unite behind him in a primary," said former New Hampshire Attorney General Thomas Rath.

Lewandowski will be the first close Trump ally to test the coattails of the president, but it could backfire as Lewandowski's angry and combative style of politics could bring "drag Trump down," one former Trump administration official said.

Members of Congress are returning to Washington after a six-week recess and while they may have been outside of the Beltway, those involved with preparations indicated members are ready for Lewandowski's theatrics.

"Corey says he is willing to talk about the campaign and the Mueller stuff, but his conversations with POTUS are off-limits," said one Republican committee aide. "He’s obviously not going to pull a Michael Cohen and try to hurt the administration. I think he thinks he can fight back against Nadler."

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) called the idea of "presidential privilege" a joke.

"We don’t buy into the bullsh*t privileges that he's asserting. If you didn’t work for the president, you don’t have that privilege," said Swalwell.

Read the full Axios report.