Republicans who refuse to support presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump should reconsider their position, says Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Those Republican politicians who are attempting to distance themselves from the controversial billionaire businessman and declare they will not vote for Trump are making “a mistake,” McConnell said in an interview to be published by the Sentinel on Tuesday. “Because, obviously, you would like the people who are voting for your candidate for president to vote for you,” he added.
The Kentucky lawmaker suggested that Republicans down the ticket who disagree with Trump on some issues should say so on those particular points, but not completely disavow Trump.
McConnell singled out those in the Republican Party who believe Trump is “too controversial,” noting that likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is “pretty controversial, too.”
“It’ll be interesting to see whose negatives are the highest” by election day, McConnell said.
After Trump’s last two remaining rivals dropped out of the primary race earlier in the month, McConnell issued a subdued endorsement of Trump, saying, “I have committed to supporting the nominee chosen by Republican voters, and Donald Trump, the presumptive nominee, is now on the verge of clinching that nomination.” He also called on his fellow Republicans to unify behind Trump.
But not all Republicans are on board. House Speaker Paul Ryan, 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney and former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush have refused to endorse Trump.
Meanwhile some conservatives dissatisfied with Trump are attempting to recruit a third-party candidate to run in the general election. Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol tweeted Sunday that he has “an impressive” candidate lined up, though he has not revealed who it is.
