Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) seems unconcerned about Donald Trump’s impact on vulnerable Republican senators up for re-election in November, suggesting that Republicans line up behind Trump.
In an interview with USA Today published Monday evening, McConnell was asked whether Trump could hurt Republicans chances in some Senate races.
“I don’t,” McConnell responded, adding that Trump’s candidacy could help in some places.
He also said that it does not make sense for lawmakers to distance themselves from Trump by refusing to endorse him.
“I think that would be a mistake because, obviously, you would like the people who are voting for your candidate for president to vote for you,” McConnell said, though he added that Republican candidates should point out where they differ from Trump.
In a separate Tuesday morning interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” McConnell said he wasn’t sure how Trump would impact Senate races.
“I think we don’t know yet,” he said when asked if Trump could hurt some Republican Senate candidates in November. “What I do think is that Senate races are big enough to where you can paint your own picture. And all of our candidates are going to be in a good position to run.”
McConnell also said that he doesn’t think Trump has changed the Republican Party.
“I think Donald Trump is a phenomenon,” he told “Morning Joe” when asked if Republicans have lost touch with their base.
When pressed on whether Republicans have changed their views, McConnell responded, “I haven’t changed my views, and I don’t think Donald Trump is going to change the Republican Party in any fundamental way.”
“He’s appealed to a lot of voters. He’s going to be the nominee. And I for one I don’t have any trouble supporting him because he’s going to pick the next Supreme Court justice, for example,” he added. “But I don’t think the Republican Party fundamentally is going to change. What he is helping us do is reach out to voters that have not lately voted for Republicans, and I think that could make him very competitive in November.”
