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Republicans have stepped up their public criticism of former President Donald Trump after his unexpectedly poor performance in the midterm elections, even as he plans to announce his third White House bid next week.
Virginia Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, a former outspoken Trump supporter, said voters sent a “very clear message” Tuesday that “enough is enough.”
“The voters have spoken out and they’ve said they want a different leader, and true leaders understand when they’re a burden,” she said in an appearance on Fox Business. “Real leaders understand that Time to step down. Time to move on.”
Some advisers had urged Mr Trump to delay the announcement of his plans until after a second round of Senate elections in Georgia on Dec. 6, which could determine which party controls the Senate to avoid turning the race into a referendum on him. And unintentionally helping Democrats.
But Trump rejected the suggestion and intends to make an announcement on Nov. 15, according to a senior adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the plans.
That has allowed him to attempt a largely unchallenged comeback when he found himself in an extremely vulnerable position after winning the nomination in 2016 after finding himself in the ruling party.
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who easily won re-election on Tuesday, is gaining fresh attention as Republicans publicly weigh Trump’s position.
Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, pointed to Trump’s promotion of inexperienced and controversial candidates in the primaries earlier this year who lost in this week’s election.
“There is no substitute for a good candidate,” Thune said in an interview.
Mr Thune said he hoped the party would start to see young leaders emerge, adding: “You can’t have a party built around a person’s personality.”
Retiring Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey also blamed Mr. Trump’s meddling for the GOP’s losses in his state, noting that Trump-backed candidates have made a strong showing on the ballot. worse than other Republicans.
“I think my party needs to face the fact that if allegiance to Donald Trump is the main criterion for selecting candidates, we probably won’t do well,” he said on CNN.
“Across the country, there is a very high correlation between MAGA candidates and major losses or at least underperformance.”
Mr Trump questioned him about having a bad night.
“To those who get false narratives from the corrupt media that I am angry about the midterm elections, don’t believe it,” he said on his social media network.
“I’m not mad at all, doing well (I’m not the one to run!) and very busy looking ahead. Remember, I’m a ‘stable genius’.”
While the sweeping victory predicted by Republicans did not materialize, the party still appears to be well-positioned to upend the House of Representatives and, eventually, the Senate. Many games are still premature.
Trump’s allies have issued statements to the media on behalf of the former president, supporting him ahead of his imminent statement.
“I am proud to support Donald J. Trump for president in 2024. I fully support his re-election,” House Republican Chair Elise Stefanik said in a statement. said in a statement.
“It’s time for Republicans to rally around America’s most popular Republican, who has a solid track record in conservative governance.”
Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance proved Mr. Trump’s most successful endorsement, saying he was confident of being the party’s nominee if the former president decided to run again.
“Every year, the media writes Donald Trump’s political obituaries. Every year, we are quickly reminded that Trump remains the most popular figure in the Republican Party,” Vance offered after asking Trump’s spokesman said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has escalated his public denunciation of Mr. DeSantis, who he has long viewed as his strongest potential challenger.
In a lengthy and angry statement Thursday night, Mr Trump scolded Fox News and other Rupert Murdoch-controlled media outlets for “full support for Governor Ron DeSantis” , he slammed the latter as “an average Republican governor with excellent public relations” as he again credited Mr. DeSantis for his 2018 victory.
While allies of Mr. Trump have previously insisted reports of tensions between the two have been exaggerated, Mr. Trump, who has privately attacked Mr. DeSantis for failing to rule out a rivalry, has said so publicly.
“Well, it’s really not the right answer in terms of loyalty and class,” he wrote, comparing the race to his 2016 campaign.
“We’re in the exact same position now. They’ll keep chasing us, MAGA, but in the end, we’ll win. Put America first and make America great again!”
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