Burr Squeezes Trump Tight: ‘There’s Not A Separation’ Between Me And Him

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. makes a comment during a live televised Senate debate with Democratic challenger Deborah Ross at UNC-TV studios in Research Triangle Park, N.C., Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool)
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During a rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, on Saturday vulnerable Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) tied himself to Donald Trump and defended his decision to continue to support the embattled Republican nominee.

“There’s not a separation between me and Donald Trump. As a matter fact, there’s an ad on TV saying I’m too cozy to him,” Burr said at a rally for the Gaston County GOP, according to tracking video from the liberal group American Bridge.

“You might have seen that lately,” he continued. “I’m cozy to Donald Trump because I know Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton would be a disaster to my children and my grandchildren. And though I have, when appropriately, spoken up, maybe in opposition to something that was said by our nominee, make no mistake that that’s not a lack of support to our nominee.”

Burr, who is engaged in a tough re-election fight against Democratic challenger Deborah Ross, has continued to support Trump, even after several Republicans ditched the nominee in the wake of a 2005 tape in which Trump bragged about grabbing and kissing women without permission.

The North Carolina senator condemned Trump’s remarks in the tape as “unacceptable,” but Burr did not pull his support for the Republican nominee. Trump is trailing Clinton in North Carolina 48.7-45.3 in TPM’s PollTracker Average.

The Ross campaign on Friday released a video hitting Burr for standing by Trump despite the 2005 tape.

According to TPM’s PollTracker Average, Burr leads Ross by about two points, 43.3-41.4.

Watch the video via American Bridge:

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