Tillis Criticizes Trump for Not Supporting Cornyn in Primary
Senator Thom Tillis calls Trump’s lack of support for Cornyn a ‘colossal mistake’ in a heated CNN interview.
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During an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) criticized President Donald Trump for not supporting Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in his primary race, calling it a ‘colossal mistake.’
Tillis stated, ‘We’ve got to focus on Ohio. But we’ve also got to focus on some of these states that are popping up as competitive. Texas, for example. That to me is an unforced error created by the president. Now the president needs to invest in there to make sure Paxton wins.’
Anchor Jake Tapper responded by questioning Trump’s focus, noting that Cornyn was expected to win his primary and that Trump’s criticism of both Cornyn and Tillis may have cost the party valuable opportunities. Tapper pointed out, ‘These are states where President Trump antagonized the incumbent Republicans, who probably would have both cruised to reelection.’
Tillis defended Trump, saying, ‘To be fair to the president, he didn’t force me out. I was already moving in that direction. He just gave me a good opportunity to announce my retirement. In the case of Cornyn, he made a colossal mistake.’
Tillis praised Cornyn as a ‘great member of the U.S. Senate’ and argued that the party should not be focused on loyalty oaths at this moment. ‘Now is the time for Republicans to get elected,’ he emphasized.
The senator also highlighted the financial burden on the party, stating that the ‘tens or hundreds of millions of dollars’ spent in Texas would not have been necessary if Cornyn had won the primary. Tillis added that Cornyn’s record of voting with Trump over 98, 99% of the time demonstrates his loyalty, suggesting that the current focus on loyalty is misplaced.
The discussion underscores the growing tensions within the Republican Party over Trump’s influence and the impact of his actions on primary elections and the broader political strategy. As the midterms approach, such internal debates are becoming increasingly significant in shaping the party’s future.
Source: Breitbart
