Rep. Raul Labrador says he’ll back the GOP nominee for president, no matter who wins the race.
But Donald Trump isn’t his No. 1 choice. Labrador, R-Idaho, and other conservative Republicans are unenthusiastic about the brash billionaire leading the GOP ticket this fall.
“There are better, more qualified people to be president,” Labrador said Thursday during a monthly gathering of the most conservative members of the House. “I don’t think he’s a conservative. I don’t think he advocates conservative principles. He is more of a pragmatist. Some people call him a waffler.”
Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., said he could not point to any conservative policies enacted by Trump, who has never held public office. He suggested Trump is promoting the ideas of the Republican Right only to win support for his White House bid.
“I don’t think we want simply campaign conservatives, but true conservatives with proven conservative policies,” Huelskamp said.
Huelskamp has yet to endorse a candidate but called Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, “even more right” than Trump when it comes to denouncing Congress for failing to rein in federal spending.
Huelskamp said Trump’s past comments, some dating back 15 years and supporting universal healthcare, are potentially “a fatal flaw” in his candidacy. It’s similar to the state-run healthcare in Massachusetts, which is believed to have hurt former Gov. Mitt Romney’s White House bid.
“The idea that we can nominate someone who still believes government-run healthcare is the answer, I don’t think they can win,” Huelskamp said at the event, which was sponsored by the conservative Heritage Foundation.
The GOP lawmakers said Trump is resonating with voters in part by bashing Congress over the ever-increasing size of the federal budget.
“Mr. Trump is tapping into concerns that Republicans don’t follow through and keep their promises,” Huelskamp said. “I have that same concern as well.”
Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said voters are fed up and looking for a candidate who offers something new.
“People are not going to sit still and wait for something to happen,” Blackburn said. “It will be an outsider year. A year of change.”
