House majority leader Kevin McCarthy said there is a “better way” to unite Republicans than the national party chairman’s recent threat to punish future GOP presidential candidates who refuse to support Donald Trump. Speaking with reporters at the Capitol Tuesday, McCarthy responded to the comments from Reince Priebus, the head of the Republican National Committee, that anti-Trump Republicans “need to get on board” with the controversial presidential nominee.
“I like the party to be united. I think Lincoln was right: A house divided cannot stand. I was worried ’cause there’s a better way to unite people,” McCarthy said.
Future pursuit of the presidential nomination “won’t be easy” for those Republicans not on board with Donald Trump, Priebus said Sunday on Face the Nation. “Those people need to get on board,” Priebus said referring to the former Republican candidates who pledged to support the eventual nominee but have not done so. “And if they’re going to run again someday, I think we’re going to evaluate the process of the nomination process and I don’t think it’s going to be that easy for them,” he warned.
McCarthy suggested Priebus’s approach would deepen the divide within the party and gum up the works of effective governance. “I’m not a big believer that punishment unites people,” McCarthy said. “I think finding the right ideas together, getting people in the room is the best way where we can find common ground.”
South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham also broke with Priebus. Graham, who ran against Trump in the GOP primaries, told THE WEEKLY STANDARD Tuesday he does not think Priebus’s approach has been helpful to the Republican party. “I don’t think it’s healthy right now to be talking about what we’re gonna do as a party post 2016,” he said. “Rather than threatening each other, [Republicans] need to be helping each other within the limits of our capabilities.”
Other Republicans shrugged off the threat, including Jeff Flake, the Arizona senator who has said he will not endorse or support Trump. “Oh, I don’t know,” Flake said when asked about the chairman’s comments. “I didn’t pay much attention.” Flake’s fellow Arizonan John McCain, who has endorsed Trump, said: “Reince Priebus is entitled to his views. Frankly I didn’t pay any attention to it.”
Meanwhile, their Senate colleague Lindsey Graham says he sees the party chairman’s comments as evidence of a larger problem: “If our party doesn’t begin to adjust and make changes, we’re going to have long term problems winning the White House.”
McCarthy seemed to agree. “Shoot, if Hillary can’t unite Republicans I don’t think anything can,” said the California Republican.
