President Donald Trump and his Republican Party faced a serious battle as another GOP lawmaker decided to end his bid for reelection, according to reports Friday.
Facing a growing number of Republican exits, a low approval rating, uncertainty around U.S. military strikes in Iran and a looming conflict in the Middle East, Trump now has a bigger problem ahead of the midterm elections, The Daily Beast reported.
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), who admitted to an affair with a staffer who died in a gruesome suicide last year, announced Thursday he would drop out of the runoff against right-wing influencer Brandon Herrera.
Gonzales is among three other Republican representatives who announced they would not seek reelection just this week, including Reps. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Burgess Owens (R-UT).
Gonzales's departure comes as 34 Republicans have planned to retire this year as Democrats eye taking back the majority of the House and Senate this fall.
"Regardless of what they say in public, plenty of GOP lawmakers are getting internal polling that suggests Trump has steered them into a disaster," Democratic strategist Max Burns told The Beast.
“Even GOP lawmakers don’t feel like they can exert enough influence on the White House to course correct, so it’s easier to just walk away,” Burns said.