Donald Trump went up to Capitol Hill to meet with Republican lawmakers. The ads will be running on cable networks; one of them, “Sidekick”, likens Trump to a schoolyard bully and congressional Republicans to the bully’s sidekicks and asks: “Shouldn’t they really be standing up to the bully?”Donald Trump is paying his first visit to rank-and-file congressional Republicans, appearing Thursday morning at closed-door meetings of the House and Senate GOP caucuses”.
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Rep. John Shimkus of IL said the meeting was “kind of the same”.
“I was one of Trump’s most vociferous opponents and I’m now one of his most committed supporters”, Trent Franks of Arizona said after the meeting. “I’ve been supportive of Trump for quite a while”.
The Dardanelle Republican, who has been mentioned as a possible Trump vice presidential pick in recent weeks, has said he is not being vetted for the job.
“I would say we all love broad sweeping statements”.
Trump delivered a “great unifying speech”, Price said, and his listeners were “very receptive”. For others, it wasn’t enough, as lawmakers who have been wary of Trump’s candidacy said they remain skeptical.
“There was no talk of pivoting”.
With GOP lawmakers unanimous in their desire to beat Hillary Clinton this fall, some welcomed the reassurance and applauded Trump’s remarks. “But he showed today that he could be Donald Trump and still work with Republicans”. He told Trump he was anxious about his ability to appeal to the broader electorate during the general election.
Flake has already said he is not planning on attending the party’s convention.
Several members also said Trump spoke at length about expanding the electoral map – stating that he could put Oregon, Washington, Michigan and CT in play, even though those states that have always been out of reach for the GOP.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center on July 6 in Cincinnati.
The more the presumptive GOP nominee gets himself into trouble, the less Republicans on Capitol Hill step up to defend him. “My hope is we will choose a nominee who can beat Hillary Clinton in November because I don’t think he can”.
Vulnerable Republican incumbent Sens.
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) said that members asked about his effect on the House and Senate races.
Democrats are moving to find political advantage from Trump’s appearance. The image accused Clinton of corruption, with the words “most corrupt candidate ever” written inside a Star of David and superimposed over a pile of money. House Speaker Paul Ryan, the nation’s top elected Republican, was among the critics.
Trump also has some gaps in his constitutional knowledge. “But we need unity in the Republican Party”.
At one point, Trump turned directly to Ryan and seemed to acknowledge the lingering concerns. “I’m not there, so if he’s going to come talk to us, I’m happy to hear what he has to say”, Kinzinger said.
That explanation was well-received.
Ryan introduced the party’s presumptive nominee.
“Trump spent about 10 minutes answering the question – why he thought he could turn that around”, King said. The Constitution has only seven articles.
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“I got it. I understand”, Flores said Trump responded.
