Meeting in Arizona, Republican governors surveyed the damage their party suffered in the midterm election and laid a substantial amount of blame at the feet President Donald Trump.
According to Politico, the governors took exception with Trump calling the recent election a “tremendous success” and a “big victory,” citing the losses of several statehouses as well as seats to Democrats that could see gerrymandered districts redrawn.
Speaking candidly with reporters, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) -- who survived a challenge in liberal Maryland -- was blunt in his assessment on the impact that Trump had on GOP fortunes.
“The Republican Party started to have problems before Trump ever arrived on the scene two years ago. Trump has exacerbated some of those issues and put a focus on” the shortcomings, Hogan lectured. “But the party’s got to take a hard look at itself. If you’re going to be a majority party you’ve got to appeal to a majority of people.”
“I’m hopeful that it can get better, but I’m concerned that it could get worse," he continued. "And that’s really a debate within the party to say, ‘What are we about? What are we going to focus on?'"
Utah Gov. Greg Herbert (R) took exception with not only the impact that Trump had on the failure of Utah Rep. Mia Love (R) holding onto her seat, but also his attacks on the outgoing lawmaker who was the GOP's sole black member of the House.
“I think it was just bad to throw her under the bus," Herbert told reporters. "She’s the first African-American woman Republican elected to Congress in American history, and we’re proud of that. And she was doing some good things.”
Noting Trump mocked Love and claimed she failed to back him uncritically, Herbert added, “There’s no need to be petty about it, and that’s part of the challenge we have with this administration. Sometimes they seem to have a tit-for-tat and are petty.”
Governors attending the conference also received some distressing news from GOP consultants, who warned them they could be in for another battle in 2020 when Trump could presumably be on the ballot seeking a second term.
According to Paul Bennecke, a veteran GOP strategist and the organization’s outgoing executive director, told the attendees "the liberal intensity that defined the 2018 election wouldn’t recede anytime soon, warning that Republicans would need to find a way to match their rivals — something that would require them to appeal beyond their conservative base," Politico reports.
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