Trump's advisors at war with each other as he continues to wade into 'messy' GOP primaries: report
According to a report from the Washington Post, close advisers to Donald Trump are at war with each other -- and sometimes with the former president -- over some of his 2022 endorsements of GOP candidates who might not only go down in flames but also take his reputation as a kingmaker down with them.
Coming on the heels of Trump endorsing author J.D. Vance to become the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat representing Ohio, after Trump also endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz as the GOP's nominee to replace Sen. Pat Toomey (R), the Post notes that Trump has not only riled Republicans with his interference, but also upset aides who think he may risking his chances of running for president again in 2024.
According to Josh Dawsey and Micheal Scherer, the former president's endorsement of the controversial Dr. Oz has created turmoil within his inner circle.
"Trump’s decision, against the advice of some of his advisers, plunged the former president deep into a messy primary — sparking an internecine fight among some of his own advisers along with considerable backlash from many other Republicans," they wrote, adding that one aide asked Trump to explain himself to which he replied, "I'm a gambler."
The Post is reporting that Trump's flinging endorsements around has increased concerns that he may be damaging his political comeback
"With his endorsements of Oz, Senate candidate Ted Budd in North Carolina, gubernatorial hopeful David Perdue in Georgia and, on Friday, author and Senate candidate J.D. Vance in Ohio, Trump has leaped into the middle of several competitive primaries that could put his desired image as a kingmaker at risk," the report states. "In key contests, Trump’s statements have not cleared the field like they once did — and some advisers fear he has diluted his endorsements by backing hundreds of candidates, some for low-level positions, because of their willingness to support his false claims of a fraudulent election."
Dawsey and Scherer added, "At times, he has picked candidates trailing in the polls and has taken advice from a hodgepodge of informal and formal advisers, real estate friends, consultants, Mar-a-Lago members, and others to make selections."
That led to one former Trump communications official, Alyssa Farah Griffin to explain, "The biggest way to defeat him is to electorally chip away at the notion he is the most powerful endorsement in the country. He still is, but smart operatives need to play against him in races where he’s made dumb endorsements.”
In the case of political newcomer Vance, the Post is reporting, "Trump endorsed Vance in Ohio on Friday afternoon against the wishes of some of his advisers — who are working for other candidates in the race and argued against an endorsement by citing negative comments Vance made about Trump in the past. Candidates and operatives also lobbied more than two dozen GOP county chairmen in Ohio to sign a letter opposing a Vance endorsement. Trump received so many calls that he stopped taking them Friday, an adviser said.
According to Trump supporter, Dave Johnson, chair of the Columbiana County Republican Party, "I don’t want him [Trump] to make a misstep for his sake. I think it will backfire on Trump, and if he’s running in 2024, I want Ohio to stay strong Trump country."
You can read more here.
Leave a Comment
Related Post