Former President Trump
Donald Trump Trump: McConnell ‘helpless’ to stop Biden from courting Romney in NRSC handing out Trump: not’ my preference ‘McConnell bypasses Trump calling him’ dumb son of ab ‘—-‘ MORE shows no signs of wanting to unite the GOP, even as party leaders do their best to iron out divisions they fear will be harmful in the 2022 midterm elections.
In a speech on Saturday night to attendees at a Florida donor retreat, Trump scolded his alleged enemies in both sides and offered little or no reassurance that he would try to assemble a GOP riddled with internal divisions and desperate for it. regaining government power. in Washington.
The former president’s comments recalled how difficult it will be for Republicans to get past the controversies and infighting that have plagued them since Trump’s defeat in last year’s presidential election.
“It was just Trump who was Trump,” said one person familiar with the former president’s comments. “That’s not surprising, but I don’t see how that helps the conversation move forward.”
For many of the party’s top fundraisers and dignitaries, the withdrawal of the Republican National Committee in Palm Beach was an opportunity to regroup after a series of devastating losses in recent months that the GOP has left the White House and its majority in the Senate. cost.
What attendees got instead was a broadcast of old grievances by Trump, who remains fixated nearly three months after his departure from Washington on re-declaring his loss in the 2020 presidential election and furthering his feuds with Republicans he considered insufficiently loyal.
One of his most notable goals was the Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Trump: McConnell ‘helpless’ to stop Biden from grabbing court Senate GOP opens door to ear tags McConnell bypasses Trump calling him’ dumb son of ab ‘—-‘ MORE (R-Ky.), According to a source with knowledge of Trump’s speech to donors. The former president has railed against McConnell, calling the Senate’s most powerful Republican a “stupid bastard” and knocking him down for acknowledging President Biden
Joe Biden Trump: McConnell ‘helpless’ to stop Biden from wrapping up court Biden, first lady sends ‘warm regards’ to Muslims for Ramadan The business case for childcare reform MORE‘s victory.
He also attacked Brian Kemp
Brian Kemp Will Smith Is Moving Production Of New Film From Georgia Due To Electoral Law 100 Business Executives Discuss How To Fight New Voting Rules: Report Kemp: Getting The All-Star Game Out Of Atlanta Will Hurt Business Owners Of Color MORE, the Republican governor of Georgia who made an enemy of Trump last year when he rejected the former president’s pleas to reverse the outcome of the presidential election in Peach state. Trump has vowed to back a primary challenge to Kemp ahead of his reelection bid next year.
Trump also said he remains disappointed with former Vice President Pence because he has not done more to prevent Congress’s certification of the 2020 election results in January, according to a report by Politico. The former president has repeatedly insisted that the presidential game was rigged against him, claiming that widespread voter fraud and systemic irregularities were responsible for his loss, despite the courts rejecting multiple lawsuits filed by Republicans against the results.
Trump remains the most influential Republican in the country and enjoys the continued support of a loyal voter base that appreciates his willingness to attack his political enemies, including those of his own party.
But some Republicans have grown weary of the feuds between parties, claiming that too often Trump’s attacks detract from a united conservative argument against democratic control in Washington.
A Republican who was made aware of Trump’s comments on Saturday expressed frustration at the former president’s fixation on fellow Republicans, arguing that he should focus “100 percent” of his energy on countering Biden. and Congress Democrats.
He’s still going after him [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and them all, ”the Republican said. “All these other things complicate things though … it makes the message less clear.”
Republicans need only five seats in the House and only one in the Senate next year to recapture their majority in Congress.
But redistribution of delays due to the coronavirus pandemic has created at least some uncertainty about the House map, and Republicans are facing a more challenging Senate card than Democrats. The GOP defends 20 seats in the upper room, compared to just 14 for Democrats, and some of those seats are in expensive and highly competitive battlefield states, such as North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida.
At the same time, Trump’s pledge to support the primary challenges facing the established GOP players who broke with him paves the way for a series of bitter and uncertain nomination matches that will pit the former president’s political operation against that of the Republican Party. .
Last week, the Senate Leadership Fund approved the super PAC in line with McConnell, Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski Nixed Domestic nominee appointed to different department role Against rising expectations, Biden seeks GOP support for infrastructure plan GOP Senate campaign arm rewards Trump as he contradicts McConnell MORE(R-Alaska) 2022 reelection bid, which went into battle with Trump, who pledged to impeach Murkowski after voting in February to condemn him in his second Senate impeachment trial.
Likewise, Trump already has a primary challenge for Rep. Anthony GonzalezAnthony Gonzalez Trump looms big over Florida GOP donor retreat Trump faces power test with early notes Boehner throws support behind Republican backing Trump impeachment MORE (R-Ohio), who voted in January to impeach the former president. He also supports Rep. Jody, I did
Jody Brownlow HiceTrump Faces Power Test With Early Notes Exclusive: Biggs Hits Bill Banning Federal Vaccine Passports Georgia’s Top Election Official Seems To Shake Political Drama MORE (R-Ga.) In his bid to overthrow Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who turned down Trump’s requests to reverse the election results in Georgia.
Party leaders have been trying to calm the waters within the GOP in recent months. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.), The chairman of the National Republican Senate Committee and a longtime ally of Trump, has publicly downplayed the idea of a Republican “ civil war ” while privately urging the former president to get out of the primaries of the GOP Senate to stay next year.
Likewise, Rep. Tom Emmer
Thomas (Tom) Earl Emmer GOP Campaign Leader Believes His Party Will Win House Letlow, Wins Louisiana Special House Election to Replace Dead Spouse Fundraising Spits at Trump-GOP Rifts MORE (R-Minn.), Who heads the National Republican Congressional Committee, has said Republicans should emphasize the Trump administration’s achievements in their 2022 campaigns, while also admitting the former president’s desire to support the primary challenges facing incumbents of the GOP “will not be helpful.”
‘He can do whatever he wants. Every citizen can do what he wants, ”said Emmer at an event organized by Politico last month. “But I’d tell him it’s better for us to keep these people and have a majority that can be sustained in the future.”
Former speaker John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner A leadership menagerie of metaphorical scapegoats Boehner says’ unemployed ‘Trump has nothing to do’ but ’cause trouble’ Boehner: ‘There are many leaders in the Republican Party’ MORE (R-Ohio), who has spoken critically of Trump, said Republicans should not expect Trump to drop his grievances and play a unifying role in the party in the short term, regardless of the drama he may create for the GOP.
“Here’s a guy who’s out of work, has nothing to do but cause trouble,” BoehnerJohn Andrew Boehner A leadership menagerie of metaphorical scapegoats Boehner says’ unemployed ‘Trump has nothing to do’ but ’cause trouble’ Boehner: ‘There are many leaders in the Republican Party’ MORE said in an interview on ABC’s “The View” on Monday. “And it’s clear to me he’s not going to leave.”