Donald Trump likely won’t carry Wisconsin in the landslide that delivered Republican Tommy Thompson a third term as governor in 1994.

But the former president can still win there, according to Thompson, who held the office for a record 14 years, if he follows four rules he says were his formula for success.

Trump famously cracked Democrats’ “blue wall” when he won Wisconsin, along with Michigan and Pennsylvania, in a shock victory that sent him to the White House in 2016. But he lost the state four years later by almost the same margin.

In 2020, little more than 20,000 votes separated him and President Joe Biden in Wisconsin.

By all indications, the election this November will be just as close. Like Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris is within the margin of error in state polling of the presidential race.

But Thompson, 82, laid out a path to victory in an interview with the Washington Examiner that draws on his decades of experience in Wisconsin politics. 

“This state is made to order for Donald Trump, and he can win it,” he said.

‘Don’t overlook Wisconsin’

Thompson’s first rule is more of a cautionary tale. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton never stepped foot in Wisconsin during her 2016 run, a decision Thompson says cost her the election.

“She didn’t come and guess what happened? She lost,” Thompson said. “You have to appear here. You have to be here. You have to show up.”

Republicans are determined not to make the same mistake. They nominated Trump last month at their convention in Milwaukee. Before that, they held their first primary debate in the city.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin was the second stop Harris made on a battleground tour this week introducing the country to her new running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN).

In total, Trump has visited Wisconsin four times this year, once in Green Bay and the others in Milwaukee or the counties surrounding it.

During his trip to Racine in June, he met with Thompson for a previously unreported meeting in which Thompson casually floated the idea of running Trump’s campaign in Wisconsin.

“That’s a great idea,” he recounted Trump saying, though Dylan Lefler, the former campaign manager for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), has been leading operations in the state.

Don’t skip Madison, either

The electoral success Thompson found as governor is based, in part, on his popularity in Democratic strongholds. He won Milwaukee County three times — in 1990, 1994, and 1998 — and Dane County, home to Madison, in 1994.

No Republican has been able to replicate that kind of crossover appeal since he left office in 2001, and most don’t try.

“Wrong,” Thompson, known as a pragmatic conservative during his four terms in office, said of the lack of outreach. “That’s why Republicans lose.”

The country is more polarized today, a fact compounded by voters’ tendency to stick to their partisan affiliation in federal races. Now-Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) carried Milwaukee and Dane counties by large margins when Thompson mounted an unsuccessful Senate run in 2012.

But Thompson, who attributed the loss to President Barack Obama running at the top of the ticket, said the key is not to win the counties outright, but rather to keep Democrats from running up the score.

“It’s not winning or losing. It’s diminishing how much you’re going to lose by that makes you win statewide,” Thompson said. “And that’s something Republicans have got to see in order to carry this state.”

As for Trump, he lost to Biden by 40 percentage points in Milwaukee County and 53 points in Dane. But Thompson said he can improve his margins if he spends time in those areas with a message that resonates with traditionally Democratic voters.

“You’ve got to be willing to go to the black churches and the labor unions and be willing to show up in Milwaukee and show them that you really care about their issues,” Thompson said.

He praised Trump’s decision to hold a May rally in the South Bronx, a New York borough where he only won 16% of the vote in 2020.

‘Lay out a program’

Thompson outlined how Trump can tailor his message to each part of Wisconsin. In Madison, he should focus on education and healthcare, while up north, protecting Social Security will resonate with elderly voters.

But Thompson’s overarching rule is to come with a plan, and be sure it’s forward-looking.

“What does the future portend? What do you expect to accomplish?” he said.

Trump has struggled to stay on message since Harris took over the Democratic ticket. He drove a dayslong news cycle by falsely accusing the vice president of faking her black identity, while he continues to relitigate unfounded claims of fraud in the 2020 election.

Nonetheless, Trump does appear sensitive to the risk he could lose the election on policy grounds. The other week, he proposed eliminating taxes on the Social Security benefits of seniors. In April, he rejected Republicans’ attempts to pursue a national abortion ban.

Republicans expect to perform better in the suburbs this cycle thanks to Trump moderating the party’s stance on abortion – he amended the GOP platform in July to keep access a state issue.

But Thompson said Trump can also recover eroding support in the suburbs, particularly among women, if he focuses on public safety and parental rights.

“If you tell them you’re going to be tough on crime and make it safe for their children, and you’re going to allow the parents to have more involvement in education, these are the issues that speak to suburban women,” Thompson said.

‘Be positive’

So far, Harris has yet to lay out her agenda in concrete terms. She has no policy page on her campaign website and has not sat for interviews with the press.

But Harris has seemingly adopted Thompson’s fourth principle, a message focused as much on outlook as demeanor.

“You’ve got to have a cheery and smiley and positive attitude about Wisconsin, about the government, about what you want to do,” he said.

The Washington Examiner spoke to Thompson days before Biden dropped out of the race. Since then, Harris has taken over the ticket with a “joyful warrior” message meant to draw a contrast with Trump. The Democrats accuse him of running a campaign built on grievance.

Thompson himself had no criticism for Trump. He praised his ability to draw a crowd — “That’s a hell of a gift to have” — while judging that political headwinds, including inflation and the border, will play to his advantage.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

When asked, he reasoned that Trump could stand to be “a little bit more diplomatic at times,” but said that comes with the former president’s personality.

“Why would you want to change it? I’d like to channel it a little bit,” he said, “but let Trump be Trump.”

2024-08-11 11:00:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3117164%2Fwisconsin-trump-tommy-thompson-four-rules%2F?w=600&h=450, Donald Trump likely won’t carry Wisconsin in the landslide that delivered Republican Tommy Thompson a third term as governor in 1994. But the former president can still win there, according to Thompson, who held the office for a record 14 years, if he follows four rules he says were his formula for success. Trump famously,

Donald Trump likely won’t carry Wisconsin in the landslide that delivered Republican Tommy Thompson a third term as governor in 1994.

But the former president can still win there, according to Thompson, who held the office for a record 14 years, if he follows four rules he says were his formula for success.

Trump famously cracked Democrats’ “blue wall” when he won Wisconsin, along with Michigan and Pennsylvania, in a shock victory that sent him to the White House in 2016. But he lost the state four years later by almost the same margin.

In 2020, little more than 20,000 votes separated him and President Joe Biden in Wisconsin.

By all indications, the election this November will be just as close. Like Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris is within the margin of error in state polling of the presidential race.

But Thompson, 82, laid out a path to victory in an interview with the Washington Examiner that draws on his decades of experience in Wisconsin politics. 

“This state is made to order for Donald Trump, and he can win it,” he said.

‘Don’t overlook Wisconsin’

Thompson’s first rule is more of a cautionary tale. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton never stepped foot in Wisconsin during her 2016 run, a decision Thompson says cost her the election.

“She didn’t come and guess what happened? She lost,” Thompson said. “You have to appear here. You have to be here. You have to show up.”

Republicans are determined not to make the same mistake. They nominated Trump last month at their convention in Milwaukee. Before that, they held their first primary debate in the city.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin was the second stop Harris made on a battleground tour this week introducing the country to her new running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN).

In total, Trump has visited Wisconsin four times this year, once in Green Bay and the others in Milwaukee or the counties surrounding it.

During his trip to Racine in June, he met with Thompson for a previously unreported meeting in which Thompson casually floated the idea of running Trump’s campaign in Wisconsin.

“That’s a great idea,” he recounted Trump saying, though Dylan Lefler, the former campaign manager for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), has been leading operations in the state.

Don’t skip Madison, either

The electoral success Thompson found as governor is based, in part, on his popularity in Democratic strongholds. He won Milwaukee County three times — in 1990, 1994, and 1998 — and Dane County, home to Madison, in 1994.

No Republican has been able to replicate that kind of crossover appeal since he left office in 2001, and most don’t try.

“Wrong,” Thompson, known as a pragmatic conservative during his four terms in office, said of the lack of outreach. “That’s why Republicans lose.”

The country is more polarized today, a fact compounded by voters’ tendency to stick to their partisan affiliation in federal races. Now-Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) carried Milwaukee and Dane counties by large margins when Thompson mounted an unsuccessful Senate run in 2012.

But Thompson, who attributed the loss to President Barack Obama running at the top of the ticket, said the key is not to win the counties outright, but rather to keep Democrats from running up the score.

“It’s not winning or losing. It’s diminishing how much you’re going to lose by that makes you win statewide,” Thompson said. “And that’s something Republicans have got to see in order to carry this state.”

As for Trump, he lost to Biden by 40 percentage points in Milwaukee County and 53 points in Dane. But Thompson said he can improve his margins if he spends time in those areas with a message that resonates with traditionally Democratic voters.

“You’ve got to be willing to go to the black churches and the labor unions and be willing to show up in Milwaukee and show them that you really care about their issues,” Thompson said.

He praised Trump’s decision to hold a May rally in the South Bronx, a New York borough where he only won 16% of the vote in 2020.

‘Lay out a program’

Thompson outlined how Trump can tailor his message to each part of Wisconsin. In Madison, he should focus on education and healthcare, while up north, protecting Social Security will resonate with elderly voters.

But Thompson’s overarching rule is to come with a plan, and be sure it’s forward-looking.

“What does the future portend? What do you expect to accomplish?” he said.

Trump has struggled to stay on message since Harris took over the Democratic ticket. He drove a dayslong news cycle by falsely accusing the vice president of faking her black identity, while he continues to relitigate unfounded claims of fraud in the 2020 election.

Nonetheless, Trump does appear sensitive to the risk he could lose the election on policy grounds. The other week, he proposed eliminating taxes on the Social Security benefits of seniors. In April, he rejected Republicans’ attempts to pursue a national abortion ban.

Republicans expect to perform better in the suburbs this cycle thanks to Trump moderating the party’s stance on abortion – he amended the GOP platform in July to keep access a state issue.

But Thompson said Trump can also recover eroding support in the suburbs, particularly among women, if he focuses on public safety and parental rights.

“If you tell them you’re going to be tough on crime and make it safe for their children, and you’re going to allow the parents to have more involvement in education, these are the issues that speak to suburban women,” Thompson said.

‘Be positive’

So far, Harris has yet to lay out her agenda in concrete terms. She has no policy page on her campaign website and has not sat for interviews with the press.

But Harris has seemingly adopted Thompson’s fourth principle, a message focused as much on outlook as demeanor.

“You’ve got to have a cheery and smiley and positive attitude about Wisconsin, about the government, about what you want to do,” he said.

The Washington Examiner spoke to Thompson days before Biden dropped out of the race. Since then, Harris has taken over the ticket with a “joyful warrior” message meant to draw a contrast with Trump. The Democrats accuse him of running a campaign built on grievance.

Thompson himself had no criticism for Trump. He praised his ability to draw a crowd — “That’s a hell of a gift to have” — while judging that political headwinds, including inflation and the border, will play to his advantage.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

When asked, he reasoned that Trump could stand to be “a little bit more diplomatic at times,” but said that comes with the former president’s personality.

“Why would you want to change it? I’d like to channel it a little bit,” he said, “but let Trump be Trump.”

, Donald Trump likely won’t carry Wisconsin in the landslide that delivered Republican Tommy Thompson a third term as governor in 1994. But the former president can still win there, according to Thompson, who held the office for a record 14 years, if he follows four rules he says were his formula for success. Trump famously cracked Democrats’ “blue wall” when he won Wisconsin, along with Michigan and Pennsylvania, in a shock victory that sent him to the White House in 2016. But he lost the state four years later by almost the same margin. In 2020, little more than 20,000 votes separated him and President Joe Biden in Wisconsin. By all indications, the election this November will be just as close. Like Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris is within the margin of error in state polling of the presidential race. But Thompson, 82, laid out a path to victory in an interview with the Washington Examiner that draws on his decades of experience in Wisconsin politics.  “This state is made to order for Donald Trump, and he can win it,” he said. ‘Don’t overlook Wisconsin’ Thompson’s first rule is more of a cautionary tale. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton never stepped foot in Wisconsin during her 2016 run, a decision Thompson says cost her the election. “She didn’t come and guess what happened? She lost,” Thompson said. “You have to appear here. You have to be here. You have to show up.” Republicans are determined not to make the same mistake. They nominated Trump last month at their convention in Milwaukee. Before that, they held their first primary debate in the city. Meanwhile, Wisconsin was the second stop Harris made on a battleground tour this week introducing the country to her new running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN). In total, Trump has visited Wisconsin four times this year, once in Green Bay and the others in Milwaukee or the counties surrounding it. During his trip to Racine in June, he met with Thompson for a previously unreported meeting in which Thompson casually floated the idea of running Trump’s campaign in Wisconsin. “That’s a great idea,” he recounted Trump saying, though Dylan Lefler, the former campaign manager for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), has been leading operations in the state. President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson after meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Don’t skip Madison, either The electoral success Thompson found as governor is based, in part, on his popularity in Democratic strongholds. He won Milwaukee County three times — in 1990, 1994, and 1998 — and Dane County, home to Madison, in 1994. No Republican has been able to replicate that kind of crossover appeal since he left office in 2001, and most don’t try. “Wrong,” Thompson, known as a pragmatic conservative during his four terms in office, said of the lack of outreach. “That’s why Republicans lose.” The country is more polarized today, a fact compounded by voters’ tendency to stick to their partisan affiliation in federal races. Now-Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) carried Milwaukee and Dane counties by large margins when Thompson mounted an unsuccessful Senate run in 2012. But Thompson, who attributed the loss to President Barack Obama running at the top of the ticket, said the key is not to win the counties outright, but rather to keep Democrats from running up the score. “It’s not winning or losing. It’s diminishing how much you’re going to lose by that makes you win statewide,” Thompson said. “And that’s something Republicans have got to see in order to carry this state.” As for Trump, he lost to Biden by 40 percentage points in Milwaukee County and 53 points in Dane. But Thompson said he can improve his margins if he spends time in those areas with a message that resonates with traditionally Democratic voters. “You’ve got to be willing to go to the black churches and the labor unions and be willing to show up in Milwaukee and show them that you really care about their issues,” Thompson said. He praised Trump’s decision to hold a May rally in the South Bronx, a New York borough where he only won 16% of the vote in 2020. ‘Lay out a program’ Thompson outlined how Trump can tailor his message to each part of Wisconsin. In Madison, he should focus on education and healthcare, while up north, protecting Social Security will resonate with elderly voters. But Thompson’s overarching rule is to come with a plan, and be sure it’s forward-looking. “What does the future portend? What do you expect to accomplish?” he said. Trump has struggled to stay on message since Harris took over the Democratic ticket. He drove a dayslong news cycle by falsely accusing the vice president of faking her black identity, while he continues to relitigate unfounded claims of fraud in the 2020 election. Nonetheless, Trump does appear sensitive to the risk he could lose the election on policy grounds. The other week, he proposed eliminating taxes on the Social Security benefits of seniors. In April, he rejected Republicans’ attempts to pursue a national abortion ban. Republicans expect to perform better in the suburbs this cycle thanks to Trump moderating the party’s stance on abortion – he amended the GOP platform in July to keep access a state issue. But Thompson said Trump can also recover eroding support in the suburbs, particularly among women, if he focuses on public safety and parental rights. “If you tell them you’re going to be tough on crime and make it safe for their children, and you’re going to allow the parents to have more involvement in education, these are the issues that speak to suburban women,” Thompson said. ‘Be positive’ So far, Harris has yet to lay out her agenda in concrete terms. She has no policy page on her campaign website and has not sat for interviews with the press. But Harris has seemingly adopted Thompson’s fourth principle, a message focused as much on outlook as demeanor. “You’ve got to have a cheery and smiley and positive attitude about Wisconsin, about the government, about what you want to do,” he said. The Washington Examiner spoke to Thompson days before Biden dropped out of the race. Since then, Harris has taken over the ticket with a “joyful warrior” message meant to draw a contrast with Trump. The Democrats accuse him of running a campaign built on grievance. Thompson himself had no criticism for Trump. He praised his ability to draw a crowd — “That’s a hell of a gift to have” — while judging that political headwinds, including inflation and the border, will play to his advantage. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER When asked, he reasoned that Trump could stand to be “a little bit more diplomatic at times,” but said that comes with the former president’s personality. “Why would you want to change it? I’d like to channel it a little bit,” he said, “but let Trump be Trump.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trump-tommy-thompson-wisconsin-1024×591.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, David Sivak,

LEBANON, Pennsylvania — Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) spent Monday stumping for Senate GOP hopeful Dave McCormick in his first big campaign swing of the August recess.

Speaking to the Washington Examiner following a moderated discussion on agriculture with McCormick, who is vying to unseat three-term Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Thune laid out the busy itinerary ahead now that the Senate is on break until the second week of September.

A big portion of that schedule entails fundraising for the GOP candidates hoping to join him in the Senate next year. He traveled to Minneapolis to raise money for Wisconsin’s Eric Hovde on Thursday night and has attended fundraising events as he makes his way through Pennsylvania.

Thune has also placed an emphasis on public shows of support for McCormick and other Republicans as he runs to replace Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in the Senate. He and McCormick attended a meet-and-greet with manufacturing employees of Stephenson Equipment in Harrisburg earlier in the day and will host a roundtable with Jewish leaders in Philadelphia on Thursday morning.

“We’re covering the state, it’s been great,” he said before hopping back on McCormick’s campaign tour bus.

“I’m excited about the prospects for Pennsylvania and hope that, obviously, not only that President Trump pulls through here but that we get Dave McCormick in the United States Senate,” Thune added.

The events reflect a pivot to the November election. There are only a handful of weeks when the Senate will be in session between now and then, and leadership is using the time away from Washington to support both incumbents and those running in competitive races.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Thune’s chief rival in the race for GOP leader, will be helping candidates with visits to states including Pennsylvania this summer, according to a source familiar with his schedule, as fundraising becomes a metric by which each is judged.

Cornyn’s political operation has raised almost $23 million for candidates this cycle as of July, according to the source. Thune has raised more than $19 million through June, the close of the second quarter.

“In addition to official events, Sen. Cornyn is spending the summer doing what he’s done for 15 years: crisscrossing Texas and the country to help his Republican colleagues and candidates, including President Trump,” a Cornyn spokesperson said in a statement.

Fundraising is foundational to the job of GOP leader, but the travel also gives Thune a chance to build rapport with the Republicans who could be members of his conference. Any challengers who are elected in November would get a vote on McConnell’s replacement.

Thune will head to New England following his stop in Philadelphia to raise money before returning to his home state of South Dakota for a few days. 

From there, he’s planning a campaign swing out West that includes stops with GOP nominee John Curtis in Utah and Sam Brown in Nevada. In Colorado, he will raise money for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He also has plans with Wisconsin’s Hovde and Bernie Moreno of Ohio.

“We’re hitting all the spots,” Thune told the Washington Examiner.

His trip through rural Pennsylvania is geared toward shoring up the red counties in which Democrats made small but significant inroads during the 2022 elections. The moderated discussion focused heavily on dairy, with McCormick criticizing Casey for not co-sponsoring a bill to bring whole milk back into school lunch and breakfast programs.

The legislation is backed by Pennsylvania’s other Democratic senator, John Fetterman.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“I’ve done dozens of farm events because I want to make sure the ag community recognizes that I understand how important it is and that they need leadership,” McCormick told the Washington Examiner after the event.

Meanwhile, McCormick has visited Philadelphia multiple times to emphasize support for Israel and tie Democrats to crime.

2024-08-05 23:58:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3111524%2Fthune-stumps-pennsylvania-mccormick-august-campaign-blitz%2F?w=600&h=450, LEBANON, Pennsylvania — Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) spent Monday stumping for Senate GOP hopeful Dave McCormick in his first big campaign swing of the August recess. Speaking to the Washington Examiner following a moderated discussion on agriculture with McCormick, who is vying to unseat three-term Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Thune laid out the,

LEBANON, Pennsylvania — Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) spent Monday stumping for Senate GOP hopeful Dave McCormick in his first big campaign swing of the August recess.

Speaking to the Washington Examiner following a moderated discussion on agriculture with McCormick, who is vying to unseat three-term Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Thune laid out the busy itinerary ahead now that the Senate is on break until the second week of September.

A big portion of that schedule entails fundraising for the GOP candidates hoping to join him in the Senate next year. He traveled to Minneapolis to raise money for Wisconsin’s Eric Hovde on Thursday night and has attended fundraising events as he makes his way through Pennsylvania.

Thune has also placed an emphasis on public shows of support for McCormick and other Republicans as he runs to replace Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in the Senate. He and McCormick attended a meet-and-greet with manufacturing employees of Stephenson Equipment in Harrisburg earlier in the day and will host a roundtable with Jewish leaders in Philadelphia on Thursday morning.

“We’re covering the state, it’s been great,” he said before hopping back on McCormick’s campaign tour bus.

“I’m excited about the prospects for Pennsylvania and hope that, obviously, not only that President Trump pulls through here but that we get Dave McCormick in the United States Senate,” Thune added.

The events reflect a pivot to the November election. There are only a handful of weeks when the Senate will be in session between now and then, and leadership is using the time away from Washington to support both incumbents and those running in competitive races.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Thune’s chief rival in the race for GOP leader, will be helping candidates with visits to states including Pennsylvania this summer, according to a source familiar with his schedule, as fundraising becomes a metric by which each is judged.

Cornyn’s political operation has raised almost $23 million for candidates this cycle as of July, according to the source. Thune has raised more than $19 million through June, the close of the second quarter.

“In addition to official events, Sen. Cornyn is spending the summer doing what he’s done for 15 years: crisscrossing Texas and the country to help his Republican colleagues and candidates, including President Trump,” a Cornyn spokesperson said in a statement.

Fundraising is foundational to the job of GOP leader, but the travel also gives Thune a chance to build rapport with the Republicans who could be members of his conference. Any challengers who are elected in November would get a vote on McConnell’s replacement.

Thune will head to New England following his stop in Philadelphia to raise money before returning to his home state of South Dakota for a few days. 

From there, he’s planning a campaign swing out West that includes stops with GOP nominee John Curtis in Utah and Sam Brown in Nevada. In Colorado, he will raise money for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He also has plans with Wisconsin’s Hovde and Bernie Moreno of Ohio.

“We’re hitting all the spots,” Thune told the Washington Examiner.

His trip through rural Pennsylvania is geared toward shoring up the red counties in which Democrats made small but significant inroads during the 2022 elections. The moderated discussion focused heavily on dairy, with McCormick criticizing Casey for not co-sponsoring a bill to bring whole milk back into school lunch and breakfast programs.

The legislation is backed by Pennsylvania’s other Democratic senator, John Fetterman.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“I’ve done dozens of farm events because I want to make sure the ag community recognizes that I understand how important it is and that they need leadership,” McCormick told the Washington Examiner after the event.

Meanwhile, McCormick has visited Philadelphia multiple times to emphasize support for Israel and tie Democrats to crime.

, LEBANON, Pennsylvania — Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) spent Monday stumping for Senate GOP hopeful Dave McCormick in his first big campaign swing of the August recess. Speaking to the Washington Examiner following a moderated discussion on agriculture with McCormick, who is vying to unseat three-term Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Thune laid out the busy itinerary ahead now that the Senate is on break until the second week of September. A big portion of that schedule entails fundraising for the GOP candidates hoping to join him in the Senate next year. He traveled to Minneapolis to raise money for Wisconsin’s Eric Hovde on Thursday night and has attended fundraising events as he makes his way through Pennsylvania. Thune has also placed an emphasis on public shows of support for McCormick and other Republicans as he runs to replace Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in the Senate. He and McCormick attended a meet-and-greet with manufacturing employees of Stephenson Equipment in Harrisburg earlier in the day and will host a roundtable with Jewish leaders in Philadelphia on Thursday morning. “We’re covering the state, it’s been great,” he said before hopping back on McCormick’s campaign tour bus. “I’m excited about the prospects for Pennsylvania and hope that, obviously, not only that President Trump pulls through here but that we get Dave McCormick in the United States Senate,” Thune added. Republican Dave McCormick sits for a moderated conversation on agriculture with Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. (David Sivak/Washington Examiner) The events reflect a pivot to the November election. There are only a handful of weeks when the Senate will be in session between now and then, and leadership is using the time away from Washington to support both incumbents and those running in competitive races. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Thune’s chief rival in the race for GOP leader, will be helping candidates with visits to states including Pennsylvania this summer, according to a source familiar with his schedule, as fundraising becomes a metric by which each is judged. Cornyn’s political operation has raised almost $23 million for candidates this cycle as of July, according to the source. Thune has raised more than $19 million through June, the close of the second quarter. “In addition to official events, Sen. Cornyn is spending the summer doing what he’s done for 15 years: crisscrossing Texas and the country to help his Republican colleagues and candidates, including President Trump,” a Cornyn spokesperson said in a statement. Fundraising is foundational to the job of GOP leader, but the travel also gives Thune a chance to build rapport with the Republicans who could be members of his conference. Any challengers who are elected in November would get a vote on McConnell’s replacement. Thune will head to New England following his stop in Philadelphia to raise money before returning to his home state of South Dakota for a few days.  From there, he’s planning a campaign swing out West that includes stops with GOP nominee John Curtis in Utah and Sam Brown in Nevada. In Colorado, he will raise money for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He also has plans with Wisconsin’s Hovde and Bernie Moreno of Ohio. “We’re hitting all the spots,” Thune told the Washington Examiner. Republican Dave McCormick helps pass out chocolate milk before a “milk toast” to kick off a panel discussion on agriculture in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. (David Sivak/Washington Examiner) His trip through rural Pennsylvania is geared toward shoring up the red counties in which Democrats made small but significant inroads during the 2022 elections. The moderated discussion focused heavily on dairy, with McCormick criticizing Casey for not co-sponsoring a bill to bring whole milk back into school lunch and breakfast programs. The legislation is backed by Pennsylvania’s other Democratic senator, John Fetterman. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER “I’ve done dozens of farm events because I want to make sure the ag community recognizes that I understand how important it is and that they need leadership,” McCormick told the Washington Examiner after the event. Meanwhile, McCormick has visited Philadelphia multiple times to emphasize support for Israel and tie Democrats to crime., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/thune-mccormick-pa-1024×591.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, David Sivak,

Former President Donald Trump won’t give up on taunting President Joe Biden as he tests out new lines of attack against his current opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump has joined Republicans in painting Harris as a “San Francisco radical” who failed as Biden’s “border czar.” His campaign’s first ad against Harris used the immigration crisis witnessed under Biden to call her “dangerously liberal.”

But he has simultaneously continued to incorporate material about Biden into his speeches. “He was choking like a dog,” Trump said of their debate at a rally in Atlanta on Saturday, describing Biden’s exit from the race two weeks ago as an undemocratic takeover.

“They did a coup, he just doesn’t know it,” Trump quipped in a dig at Biden’s age.

The preoccupation with Biden suggests a degree of whiplash among Republicans, who just days ago were hoping Democrats would reconsider replacing him at the top of the ticket. 

Trump focused so heavily on Biden at a rally in Minnesota that the Harris campaign asked, “Does he remember who his opponent is?”

“I don’t want to waste a lot of time, because it’s over,” Trump told the crowd despite repeated jabs at Biden’s golf game and other lines from old stump speeches.

However, Trump has simultaneously begun to refine his pitch against Harris, who will become the new Democratic nominee on Monday.

He’s taken to painting Harris as a “California socialist” masquerading as a centrist, mixed in with complaints about the perceived honeymoon she is receiving from some parts of the media.

“This is the lunatic who the fake news is building up to be the next Margaret Thatcher,” he said on Saturday, referring to the United Kingdom’s first female prime minister.

Republicans squirmed this past week as Trump falsely accused Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian descent, of “becoming a black person” later in her career, something they called a needless distraction from her record. But Trump has continued to make character attacks, melding her biracial identity and policy positions into a critique that she is a “phony.” 

On race, the complaint is manufactured. Harris has identified as black in both her formative years and throughout her career. She attended a black sorority at Howard University and was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus during her time in the Senate.

But the Trump campaign appears to see her authenticity as a weakness. His running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), accused Harris of faking a southern accent at her own rally in Atlanta and called her a political “chameleon” in defending Trump’s racial attacks.

“I think our whole campaign is going to have a very fun time pointing that out,” Vance told reporters aboard his campaign plane on Wednesday.

Trump focused little on the theme at his Saturday rally. Instead, he stuck tightly to the script that Harris is “ultra left,” citing her past flirtations with the defund the police movement and grassroots demands that Immigration and Customs Enforcement be abolished.

Her authenticity was a major focus a few days earlier, however, at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Harris has renounced some of her past policy positions since taking over the Democratic ticket, and Trump used the rebrand to accuse her of being “fake.” She no longer supports gun confiscation programs or a ban on fracking, both stances she held during her 2020 run for president.

“The contrast could not be more stark. On the one hand, you have a radical left puppet candidate who is fake, fake, fake, and on the other hand, you have a president who will fight, fight, fight for America,” Trump said in Harrisburg.

It will be impossible for Trump to get away from Biden entirely. Defining Harris successfully will mean associating her with the record of his administration, in particular on the border.

In fact, the hope that Republicans can convince the public that Harris is “worse” than Biden is central to their new election pitch.

“She is actually worse than he is, because she’s a real radical left,” Trump said on Wednesday. “He’s a phony radical left. He didn’t believe in this stuff.”

Nonetheless, Republicans have warned against dwelling too long on Biden with just three months to define their new opponent. Meanwhile, Democrats have pointed to Trump’s racial attacks as a sign his campaign is struggling to reset.

Polls show a tightening race in battleground states despite Trump’s claims that he still leads by wide margins. 

Democrats have largely maintained their attack lines against Trump, calling him a threat to democracy whose divisive rhetoric disqualifies him from holding office. Preserving access to abortion remains the other plank of their reelection pitch.

Harris’s past positions represent a liability to the party, while her low approval ratings were a concern to Democrats as they weighed replacing Biden. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

But her ascension to the top of the ticket has allowed them to reinforce the case Biden had made against Trump.

Harris has emphasized her career as a prosecutor and California attorney general to paint Trump as a felon who only looks out for himself. As the second woman to lead a major party ticket, she is also viewed as a more natural messenger on abortion following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

2024-08-05 11:00:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3110182%2Ftrump-lingers-on-biden-despite-pivot-to-radical-harris%2F?w=600&h=450, Former President Donald Trump won’t give up on taunting President Joe Biden as he tests out new lines of attack against his current opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump has joined Republicans in painting Harris as a “San Francisco radical” who failed as Biden’s “border czar.” His campaign’s first ad against Harris used the immigration,

Former President Donald Trump won’t give up on taunting President Joe Biden as he tests out new lines of attack against his current opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump has joined Republicans in painting Harris as a “San Francisco radical” who failed as Biden’s “border czar.” His campaign’s first ad against Harris used the immigration crisis witnessed under Biden to call her “dangerously liberal.”

But he has simultaneously continued to incorporate material about Biden into his speeches. “He was choking like a dog,” Trump said of their debate at a rally in Atlanta on Saturday, describing Biden’s exit from the race two weeks ago as an undemocratic takeover.

“They did a coup, he just doesn’t know it,” Trump quipped in a dig at Biden’s age.

The preoccupation with Biden suggests a degree of whiplash among Republicans, who just days ago were hoping Democrats would reconsider replacing him at the top of the ticket. 

Trump focused so heavily on Biden at a rally in Minnesota that the Harris campaign asked, “Does he remember who his opponent is?”

“I don’t want to waste a lot of time, because it’s over,” Trump told the crowd despite repeated jabs at Biden’s golf game and other lines from old stump speeches.

However, Trump has simultaneously begun to refine his pitch against Harris, who will become the new Democratic nominee on Monday.

He’s taken to painting Harris as a “California socialist” masquerading as a centrist, mixed in with complaints about the perceived honeymoon she is receiving from some parts of the media.

“This is the lunatic who the fake news is building up to be the next Margaret Thatcher,” he said on Saturday, referring to the United Kingdom’s first female prime minister.

Republicans squirmed this past week as Trump falsely accused Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian descent, of “becoming a black person” later in her career, something they called a needless distraction from her record. But Trump has continued to make character attacks, melding her biracial identity and policy positions into a critique that she is a “phony.” 

On race, the complaint is manufactured. Harris has identified as black in both her formative years and throughout her career. She attended a black sorority at Howard University and was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus during her time in the Senate.

But the Trump campaign appears to see her authenticity as a weakness. His running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), accused Harris of faking a southern accent at her own rally in Atlanta and called her a political “chameleon” in defending Trump’s racial attacks.

“I think our whole campaign is going to have a very fun time pointing that out,” Vance told reporters aboard his campaign plane on Wednesday.

Trump focused little on the theme at his Saturday rally. Instead, he stuck tightly to the script that Harris is “ultra left,” citing her past flirtations with the defund the police movement and grassroots demands that Immigration and Customs Enforcement be abolished.

Her authenticity was a major focus a few days earlier, however, at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Harris has renounced some of her past policy positions since taking over the Democratic ticket, and Trump used the rebrand to accuse her of being “fake.” She no longer supports gun confiscation programs or a ban on fracking, both stances she held during her 2020 run for president.

“The contrast could not be more stark. On the one hand, you have a radical left puppet candidate who is fake, fake, fake, and on the other hand, you have a president who will fight, fight, fight for America,” Trump said in Harrisburg.

It will be impossible for Trump to get away from Biden entirely. Defining Harris successfully will mean associating her with the record of his administration, in particular on the border.

In fact, the hope that Republicans can convince the public that Harris is “worse” than Biden is central to their new election pitch.

“She is actually worse than he is, because she’s a real radical left,” Trump said on Wednesday. “He’s a phony radical left. He didn’t believe in this stuff.”

Nonetheless, Republicans have warned against dwelling too long on Biden with just three months to define their new opponent. Meanwhile, Democrats have pointed to Trump’s racial attacks as a sign his campaign is struggling to reset.

Polls show a tightening race in battleground states despite Trump’s claims that he still leads by wide margins. 

Democrats have largely maintained their attack lines against Trump, calling him a threat to democracy whose divisive rhetoric disqualifies him from holding office. Preserving access to abortion remains the other plank of their reelection pitch.

Harris’s past positions represent a liability to the party, while her low approval ratings were a concern to Democrats as they weighed replacing Biden. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

But her ascension to the top of the ticket has allowed them to reinforce the case Biden had made against Trump.

Harris has emphasized her career as a prosecutor and California attorney general to paint Trump as a felon who only looks out for himself. As the second woman to lead a major party ticket, she is also viewed as a more natural messenger on abortion following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

, Former President Donald Trump won’t give up on taunting President Joe Biden as he tests out new lines of attack against his current opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump has joined Republicans in painting Harris as a “San Francisco radical” who failed as Biden’s “border czar.” His campaign’s first ad against Harris used the immigration crisis witnessed under Biden to call her “dangerously liberal.” But he has simultaneously continued to incorporate material about Biden into his speeches. “He was choking like a dog,” Trump said of their debate at a rally in Atlanta on Saturday, describing Biden’s exit from the race two weeks ago as an undemocratic takeover. “They did a coup, he just doesn’t know it,” Trump quipped in a dig at Biden’s age. The preoccupation with Biden suggests a degree of whiplash among Republicans, who just days ago were hoping Democrats would reconsider replacing him at the top of the ticket.  Trump focused so heavily on Biden at a rally in Minnesota that the Harris campaign asked, “Does he remember who his opponent is?” “I don’t want to waste a lot of time, because it’s over,” Trump told the crowd despite repeated jabs at Biden’s golf game and other lines from old stump speeches. However, Trump has simultaneously begun to refine his pitch against Harris, who will become the new Democratic nominee on Monday. He’s taken to painting Harris as a “California socialist” masquerading as a centrist, mixed in with complaints about the perceived honeymoon she is receiving from some parts of the media. “This is the lunatic who the fake news is building up to be the next Margaret Thatcher,” he said on Saturday, referring to the United Kingdom’s first female prime minister. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Gray) Republicans squirmed this past week as Trump falsely accused Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian descent, of “becoming a black person” later in her career, something they called a needless distraction from her record. But Trump has continued to make character attacks, melding her biracial identity and policy positions into a critique that she is a “phony.”  On race, the complaint is manufactured. Harris has identified as black in both her formative years and throughout her career. She attended a black sorority at Howard University and was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus during her time in the Senate. But the Trump campaign appears to see her authenticity as a weakness. His running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), accused Harris of faking a southern accent at her own rally in Atlanta and called her a political “chameleon” in defending Trump’s racial attacks. “I think our whole campaign is going to have a very fun time pointing that out,” Vance told reporters aboard his campaign plane on Wednesday. Trump focused little on the theme at his Saturday rally. Instead, he stuck tightly to the script that Harris is “ultra left,” citing her past flirtations with the defund the police movement and grassroots demands that Immigration and Customs Enforcement be abolished. Her authenticity was a major focus a few days earlier, however, at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Harris has renounced some of her past policy positions since taking over the Democratic ticket, and Trump used the rebrand to accuse her of being “fake.” She no longer supports gun confiscation programs or a ban on fracking, both stances she held during her 2020 run for president. “The contrast could not be more stark. On the one hand, you have a radical left puppet candidate who is fake, fake, fake, and on the other hand, you have a president who will fight, fight, fight for America,” Trump said in Harrisburg. It will be impossible for Trump to get away from Biden entirely. Defining Harris successfully will mean associating her with the record of his administration, in particular on the border. In fact, the hope that Republicans can convince the public that Harris is “worse” than Biden is central to their new election pitch. “She is actually worse than he is, because she’s a real radical left,” Trump said on Wednesday. “He’s a phony radical left. He didn’t believe in this stuff.” Nonetheless, Republicans have warned against dwelling too long on Biden with just three months to define their new opponent. Meanwhile, Democrats have pointed to Trump’s racial attacks as a sign his campaign is struggling to reset. Polls show a tightening race in battleground states despite Trump’s claims that he still leads by wide margins.  Democrats have largely maintained their attack lines against Trump, calling him a threat to democracy whose divisive rhetoric disqualifies him from holding office. Preserving access to abortion remains the other plank of their reelection pitch. Harris’s past positions represent a liability to the party, while her low approval ratings were a concern to Democrats as they weighed replacing Biden.  CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER But her ascension to the top of the ticket has allowed them to reinforce the case Biden had made against Trump. Harris has emphasized her career as a prosecutor and California attorney general to paint Trump as a felon who only looks out for himself. As the second woman to lead a major party ticket, she is also viewed as a more natural messenger on abortion following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/harris-trump-georgia-1024×591.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, David Sivak,

Senate Republicans pleaded with former President Donald Trump to focus on policy Wednesday after he accused Vice President Kamala Harris of “turning black” to benefit herself politically.

Speaking to black journalists in Chicago, Trump was asked about recent comments by a number of congressional Republicans arguing she was a “DEI hire” because President Joe Biden promised to select a woman as his vice president.

The insinuation that Harris was not qualified for the job received reprimands from GOP leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who reportedly urged his conference to focus instead on Harris’s liberal voting record as she vies to replace Biden in the White House.

But Trump declined to do the same in his interview with the National Association of Black Journalists. Asked if he found the DEI comments “acceptable,” Trump proceeded to claim falsely that Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage, did not present as black until later in her career.

“You know what, I respect either one. But she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way, then all of a sudden, she made a turn. And she became a black person. And I think somebody should look into that,” Trump said.

Harris was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus during her time in the Senate and years before that a member of a black sorority at a historically black college.

The remark received a reprimand from some corners of the GOP, most prominently former Gov. Larry Hogan, who is running for Senate in deep-blue Maryland.

“It’s unacceptable and abhorrent to attack Vice President Harris or anyone’s racial identity,” he posted on X. “The American people deserve better.”

But Senate Republicans, who are in Washington, D.C., until Thursday before a monthlong summer recess, either sidestepped the comments or stated that Republicans will lose the election if their focus is anywhere except policy.

“I think the most important thing we can talk about is the policies and statements she’s made,” Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the chairman of Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, said of Harris. “They’re just very radical.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, a centrist Republican from North Carolina, rattled off the border, national security, and the economy as the three issues that will send Republicans to Washington in November.

“We focus on that, we win,” he said. “We shift focus away from it, we start losing.”

The statements were directed at Republicans writ large, but the plea to Trump was unmistakable and in some cases explicit.

“That’s advice to all my colleagues in North Carolina who are running for reelection and anybody else who wants to sweep this town,” Tillis said when asked if his comments were directed at Trump. “And we need to sweep this town.”

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) defended Trump, denying he was questioning Harris’s black heritage but rather “making fun of the fact that she chooses it when it’s convenient.”

But he, too, said the remarks were not helpful. “It just opens him up for this kind of questioning, even though I think, as I’ve always said, we should take him seriously, not literally.”

Even close Trump allies steered clear of the racially tinged comments.

“I don’t get into all that stuff,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) said. “Let him talk about what he wants to talk about. I’m talking about the bad shape our country is [in] right now because of her.”

GOP lawmakers grew accustomed to fielding the periodic controversies that marked Trump’s first presidential campaign and eventually his four years in the White House. But the political fallout from Wednesday’s comments has taken on added significance as Republicans try to find their footing after Democrats swapped out Biden at the top of the ticket.

Trump has begun to home in on Harris’s record, in particular her role as Biden’s so-called border czar. But his campaign has also been criticized for a lack of message discipline. Trump doubled down on the racial attacks, calling Harris a “stone cold phony” in a Wednesday post on Truth Social.

“She uses everybody, including her racial identity!” he said.

Senate Democrats quickly fundraised off the Trump interview, highlighting his comment that Harris “could be” a diversity hire. In an email, the Senate Majority PAC invoked Trump’s past “racist attacks,” including the times he doubted the authenticity of former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Harris’s campaign denounced Trump’s remarks at the NABJ conference as an “absolute disaster.”

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign accused the media of engaging in “unhinged and unprofessional commentary,” including the insinuation that the interview was cut short because it was a “train wreck.”

2024-07-31 23:39:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3106835%2Fsenate-republicans-trump-stay-away-harris-dei%2F?w=600&h=450, Senate Republicans pleaded with former President Donald Trump to focus on policy Wednesday after he accused Vice President Kamala Harris of “turning black” to benefit herself politically. Speaking to black journalists in Chicago, Trump was asked about recent comments by a number of congressional Republicans arguing she was a “DEI hire” because President Joe Biden,

Senate Republicans pleaded with former President Donald Trump to focus on policy Wednesday after he accused Vice President Kamala Harris of “turning black” to benefit herself politically.

Speaking to black journalists in Chicago, Trump was asked about recent comments by a number of congressional Republicans arguing she was a “DEI hire” because President Joe Biden promised to select a woman as his vice president.

The insinuation that Harris was not qualified for the job received reprimands from GOP leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who reportedly urged his conference to focus instead on Harris’s liberal voting record as she vies to replace Biden in the White House.

But Trump declined to do the same in his interview with the National Association of Black Journalists. Asked if he found the DEI comments “acceptable,” Trump proceeded to claim falsely that Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage, did not present as black until later in her career.

“You know what, I respect either one. But she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way, then all of a sudden, she made a turn. And she became a black person. And I think somebody should look into that,” Trump said.

Harris was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus during her time in the Senate and years before that a member of a black sorority at a historically black college.

The remark received a reprimand from some corners of the GOP, most prominently former Gov. Larry Hogan, who is running for Senate in deep-blue Maryland.

“It’s unacceptable and abhorrent to attack Vice President Harris or anyone’s racial identity,” he posted on X. “The American people deserve better.”

But Senate Republicans, who are in Washington, D.C., until Thursday before a monthlong summer recess, either sidestepped the comments or stated that Republicans will lose the election if their focus is anywhere except policy.

“I think the most important thing we can talk about is the policies and statements she’s made,” Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the chairman of Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, said of Harris. “They’re just very radical.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, a centrist Republican from North Carolina, rattled off the border, national security, and the economy as the three issues that will send Republicans to Washington in November.

“We focus on that, we win,” he said. “We shift focus away from it, we start losing.”

The statements were directed at Republicans writ large, but the plea to Trump was unmistakable and in some cases explicit.

“That’s advice to all my colleagues in North Carolina who are running for reelection and anybody else who wants to sweep this town,” Tillis said when asked if his comments were directed at Trump. “And we need to sweep this town.”

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) defended Trump, denying he was questioning Harris’s black heritage but rather “making fun of the fact that she chooses it when it’s convenient.”

But he, too, said the remarks were not helpful. “It just opens him up for this kind of questioning, even though I think, as I’ve always said, we should take him seriously, not literally.”

Even close Trump allies steered clear of the racially tinged comments.

“I don’t get into all that stuff,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) said. “Let him talk about what he wants to talk about. I’m talking about the bad shape our country is [in] right now because of her.”

GOP lawmakers grew accustomed to fielding the periodic controversies that marked Trump’s first presidential campaign and eventually his four years in the White House. But the political fallout from Wednesday’s comments has taken on added significance as Republicans try to find their footing after Democrats swapped out Biden at the top of the ticket.

Trump has begun to home in on Harris’s record, in particular her role as Biden’s so-called border czar. But his campaign has also been criticized for a lack of message discipline. Trump doubled down on the racial attacks, calling Harris a “stone cold phony” in a Wednesday post on Truth Social.

“She uses everybody, including her racial identity!” he said.

Senate Democrats quickly fundraised off the Trump interview, highlighting his comment that Harris “could be” a diversity hire. In an email, the Senate Majority PAC invoked Trump’s past “racist attacks,” including the times he doubted the authenticity of former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Harris’s campaign denounced Trump’s remarks at the NABJ conference as an “absolute disaster.”

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign accused the media of engaging in “unhinged and unprofessional commentary,” including the insinuation that the interview was cut short because it was a “train wreck.”

, Senate Republicans pleaded with former President Donald Trump to focus on policy Wednesday after he accused Vice President Kamala Harris of “turning black” to benefit herself politically. Speaking to black journalists in Chicago, Trump was asked about recent comments by a number of congressional Republicans arguing she was a “DEI hire” because President Joe Biden promised to select a woman as his vice president. The insinuation that Harris was not qualified for the job received reprimands from GOP leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who reportedly urged his conference to focus instead on Harris’s liberal voting record as she vies to replace Biden in the White House. But Trump declined to do the same in his interview with the National Association of Black Journalists. Asked if he found the DEI comments “acceptable,” Trump proceeded to claim falsely that Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage, did not present as black until later in her career. “You know what, I respect either one. But she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way, then all of a sudden, she made a turn. And she became a black person. And I think somebody should look into that,” Trump said. Harris was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus during her time in the Senate and years before that a member of a black sorority at a historically black college. The remark received a reprimand from some corners of the GOP, most prominently former Gov. Larry Hogan, who is running for Senate in deep-blue Maryland. “It’s unacceptable and abhorrent to attack Vice President Harris or anyone’s racial identity,” he posted on X. “The American people deserve better.” But Senate Republicans, who are in Washington, D.C., until Thursday before a monthlong summer recess, either sidestepped the comments or stated that Republicans will lose the election if their focus is anywhere except policy. “I think the most important thing we can talk about is the policies and statements she’s made,” Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the chairman of Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, said of Harris. “They’re just very radical.” Sen. Thom Tillis, a centrist Republican from North Carolina, rattled off the border, national security, and the economy as the three issues that will send Republicans to Washington in November. “We focus on that, we win,” he said. “We shift focus away from it, we start losing.” The statements were directed at Republicans writ large, but the plea to Trump was unmistakable and in some cases explicit. “That’s advice to all my colleagues in North Carolina who are running for reelection and anybody else who wants to sweep this town,” Tillis said when asked if his comments were directed at Trump. “And we need to sweep this town.” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) defended Trump, denying he was questioning Harris’s black heritage but rather “making fun of the fact that she chooses it when it’s convenient.” But he, too, said the remarks were not helpful. “It just opens him up for this kind of questioning, even though I think, as I’ve always said, we should take him seriously, not literally.” Even close Trump allies steered clear of the racially tinged comments. “I don’t get into all that stuff,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) said. “Let him talk about what he wants to talk about. I’m talking about the bad shape our country is [in] right now because of her.” GOP lawmakers grew accustomed to fielding the periodic controversies that marked Trump’s first presidential campaign and eventually his four years in the White House. But the political fallout from Wednesday’s comments has taken on added significance as Republicans try to find their footing after Democrats swapped out Biden at the top of the ticket. Trump has begun to home in on Harris’s record, in particular her role as Biden’s so-called border czar. But his campaign has also been criticized for a lack of message discipline. Trump doubled down on the racial attacks, calling Harris a “stone cold phony” in a Wednesday post on Truth Social. “She uses everybody, including her racial identity!” he said. Senate Democrats quickly fundraised off the Trump interview, highlighting his comment that Harris “could be” a diversity hire. In an email, the Senate Majority PAC invoked Trump’s past “racist attacks,” including the times he doubted the authenticity of former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Harris’s campaign denounced Trump’s remarks at the NABJ conference as an “absolute disaster.” This is an absolute disaster for Donald Trump. I cannot believe he did this.— Ammar Moussa (@ammarmufasa) July 31, 2024 Meanwhile, the Trump campaign accused the media of engaging in “unhinged and unprofessional commentary,” including the insinuation that the interview was cut short because it was a “train wreck.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/trump-harris-black-indian-1024×591.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, David Sivak,

MILWAUKEE – Usha Vance shined a spotlight on her husband Wednesday as he prepared to accept the Republican nomination for vice president.

In a speech delivered at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, she introduced Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) as a family man whose backstory was a testament to American exceptionalism.

“It’s safe to say that neither J.D. nor myself expected to find ourselves in this position,” she said of Vance’s selection as running mate, “but it’s hard to find a more powerful example of the American Dream.”

Vance, who rose from poverty to become a United States senator, has often taken a self-effacing tone when speaking of his wife, a well-educated litigator whom he met at Yale Law School. In interviews, he has variously described her as a grounding influence in their marriage who is “way more accomplished than I am.”

But on Wednesday, the third night of the convention, Usha Vance introduced her husband to the stage with a speech expressing her love and admiration. 

Recounting the story of how they met, Usha offered a window into the softer side of Vance, a “tough Marine” who nonetheless enjoyed “playing with puppies and watching the movie Babe.”

Alluding to his rocky childhood – his grandmother raised him due to the drug addiction of his mother – she called him a loving husband and father who wanted to provide a more stable home for his children.

The speech touched on the same themes as Vance’s. She told the audience he had not forgotten his upbringing and would carry that perspective into his role as vice president.

“The J.D. I knew then is the same J.D. you see today, except for that beard,” Usha Vance joked.

Usha also noted that she and Vance had vastly different backgrounds. Her parents, who immigrated to the U.S. from India, raised her in a middle-class home.

“That J.D. and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry, is a testament to this country,” she said.

“It is also a testament to J.D. and it tells you something about who he is,” Usha Vance added, describing him as intellectually curious about her background and open to her culture. She recounted Vance learning how to cook Indian food for her mother.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Vance recognized his wife as he approached the microphone to deliver his own address before the crowd of delegates.

“First of all, isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she amazing?” he said.

MILWAUKEE — The Republicans running to join the Senate next year repeatedly tied Vice President Kamala Harris to the crisis at the southern border on Tuesday, the latest sign of uncertainty over whether she will replace President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket.

In a parade of speeches on the second night of the Republican National Convention, two Senate candidates invoked “border czar” Harris, a reference to the early days of the Biden administration, when the president tapped Harris to address the “root causes” of illegal immigration.

Border crossing ballooned to unprecedented levels in the months that followed, posing a liability to Biden as he runs for a second term.

“They have encouraged millions of illegal aliens to invade America,” Bernie Moreno, the Republican Senate candidate in Ohio, said from the stage.

“And Joe Biden’s border czar, Kamala Harris, and the Democrat Senate have put the welfare of illegals ahead of our own citizens,” he added.

The speeches, delivered to thousands of delegates and supporters at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, offered a window into the candidates’ campaigns for Senate.

Kari Lake, a Trump loyalist running in Arizona, cast herself as an angry “mama bear” who was fed up with the “fake news” media and the “indoctrination” of children in schools. 

“This is MAGA energy tonight,” she said at the opening of her remarks. “This is electric.”

Meanwhile, more understated candidates like Sam Brown of Nevada used their backgrounds to strike a unifying tone.

“I’m here to offer a message of hope because I know the importance of hope in difficult times,” Brown said as he highlighted the injuries he suffered while serving in Afghanistan.

But the speeches also signaled how Republicans plan to attack Harris if Biden, who is facing Democratic calls to step down over his disastrous debate performance, were to step aside, with his vice president taking his place.

“Who’s ready to retire Joe Biden and send border czar Kamala Harris back to California?” Dave McCormick, who is running against Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) in Pennsylvania, said.

He later blamed “Biden, Harris, and Casey” for the trafficking of drugs across the country’s “wide open” border.

The GOP is betting the border crisis will hand them control of Washington in November, making the issue a centerpiece of their campaign messaging.

But the uncertainty over Biden’s candidacy has led them to broaden their critique, arguing Harris is responsible for the same policies they blame for the crisis.

Illegal immigration has dropped since reaching record levels in December, thanks in part to a new partnership between the Biden administration and the Mexican government. But Republicans cite Biden’s repeal of Trump-era policies, including “Remain in Mexico,” to tie his administration to the influx.

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The calls for Biden to step aside subsided in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump over the weekend, but as the national shock over the shooting subsided, the infighting has resumed.

House Democrats are circulating a letter urging the Democratic National Committee not to rush a roll call vote nominating Biden, while Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) warned donors on Saturday that the party risked a wipeout electorally if the president remains the nominee.

Lawmakers are taking the first steps to investigate an apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

The House Homeland Security and Oversight committees announced in statements Saturday night they had been in touch with the Secret Service and were requesting briefings and congressional testimony on the attack, in which one rallygoer was killed and two critically injured.

The former president appeared to be shot in the ear before being rushed to safety but was not seriously wounded.

“There are many questions and Americans demand answers,” said Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY), who has requested a hearing with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.

“We are grateful for the bravery and quick response of the Secret Service agents,” added the Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Rep. Mark Green (R-TN). “We will be conducting thorough oversight to ensure the American people receive answers.”

Lawmakers from both parties have expressed outrage at the security lapses that allowed the shooting to happen. A Secret Service spokesman said in a statement Saturday that shots were fired from an “elevated” position outside of the rally venue.

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“The security failures surrounding the attempted assassination of a presidential candidate demand an investigation,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said. “The federal government must constantly learn from security failures in order to avoid repeating them – especially when those failures have implications for the nation.”

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, called on the committee to carry out a similar investigation as those being opened in the House.

President Joe Biden can count on at least one Senate Democrat to stand by him on Monday as lawmakers face a deluge of questions about his fitness for office.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has been unequivocal in his support since the president’s disastrous debate performance last month, which set off a Democratic panic over whether he remains viable as the party’s presidential nominee.

The senator has urged lawmakers calling on him to step down to “get a spine or grow a set” and on Sunday appeared alongside him at a campaign office in Philadelphia. 

“There is only one person in this room who kicked Trump’s a** in an election. There is only one person in this state that has kicked Trump’s a** in an election,” Fetterman told a group of organizers. “And that is your president, that’s our president.”

Biden can expect a deeper reservoir of support from Senate Democrats given he served more than three decades in the chamber. Even as a growing number of House Democrats called on the president to step aside heading into Monday morning, no Senate Democrats had done so publicly.

Yet Fetterman, who entered Congress last year, was among the first and only Democrats to stand with Biden publicly in the days after his debate performance, in which he repeatedly lost his train of thought and at times let his mouth hang agape.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), a close ally who occupies the Delaware seat Biden once held in the Senate, has also come out in support, while Democrats including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) have said Biden needs to “do more.”

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) flirted with the idea of convening a meeting of Senate Democrats who want the president to exit the race but ultimately held off, allowing the discussion to be part of a larger Senate lunch the caucus will hold on Tuesday.

Fetterman had been making the case that Biden, and Biden alone, can beat Trump months before the Democratic panic. As a sizable share of primary voters registered their protest by voting “uncommitted” in swing states, Fetterman argued those Democrats were throwing away their votes if they oppose Biden or sit the race out in November.

He articulated much the same argument in a Friday appearance on MSNBC, suggesting the reservations about Biden were unhelpful before the debate and even more so now.

“Well, congratulations — if you’re panicking now after the debate, you were willing to d*** around with this before all that,” Fetterman said.

“We’re going to need all-in on this,” he added.

The coming days will be a major test of whether Democrats heed his advice. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) echoed Fetterman in a Monday statement that warned the party was weakening Biden with the public hand-wringing should he remain the nominee.

Meanwhile, Biden sent a defiant letter to congressional offices calling for Democrats to put the drama behind them.

Fetterman, who appeared on Fox News Monday to once again reiterate his defense of Biden, is a better messenger than most. He had a rocky debate performance himself in the final weeks of his Senate campaign following a stroke that left his speech impaired.

“I know what it’s like to have a rough debate, and I’m standing right here as your senator,” he said at the Philadelphia campaign office on Sunday.

But his loyalty is not altogether surprising. He regularly calls Biden “my guy” and defended the president for maintaining a generally pro-Israel stance as the Left scrutinized his handling of the war in Gaza.

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The outspokenness is part of a larger centrist rebrand for Fetterman, who has made his mark in the Senate with his attempts to moderate the perceived excesses of his left flank.

Fetterman has embraced more conservative views on Israel but also immigration and fracking despite the progressive label he wore during his 2022 campaign for Senate.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson, a Democrat, secured a national stage for Milwaukee when Republicans agreed to hold their presidential convention there later this month.

Yet the Wisconsin confab is also pulling Johnson into the spotlight as he criticizes a coronation of former President Donald Trump that he helped bring to his city.

Johnson, in coordination with officials all the way up to Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI), convinced the Republican National Committee to choose Milwaukee by promising a “welcoming environment” in a battleground that could decide the November election.

His office holds weekly meetings with RNC officials to make sure the event, which will bring tens of thousands of visitors and a large financial windfall, goes smoothly.

The close coordination underscores what’s at stake for Johnson, a rising Democratic star elected to a second term as mayor in April. He has ambitious plans for the city, including growing the population to a million residents, and sees the convention as part of a longer-term project to attract business.

But Johnson’s desire for a successful convention is running into a second imperative. He is a loyal Democrat hosting a Republican convention and must still be an effective messenger for President Joe Biden.

When the Washington Examiner first sat down with Johnson in early December, weeks before Trump trounced his way to the GOP nomination, he struck a conciliatory tone that emphasized the economic opportunity the event promises to bring. Everyone, Republican or Democrat, supports the “green party,” Johnson joked when asked about the unorthodox relationship he’d forged with the RNC.

But Johnson has begun to take his gloves off in the lead-up to the convention. He called Trump “unhinged” in a string of cable news appearances and press gaggles last month after the former president reportedly disparaged Milwaukee as a “horrible city” in a private meeting on Capitol Hill.

Johnson said as a Milwaukee native, the remarks, which Trump denies ever making, were personal.

“I take offense when anybody comes in and says that my home is a horrible place,” he said in a Wednesday phone interview.

But the comments were also part of a rhetorical shift for Johnson, who plans to make himself available for Democratic counterprogramming when the convention kicks off on July 15.

On the call, Johnson delivered his most scathing remarks on the former president to date, casting him as a threat to democracy whose policies would set back the rights of minority voters in Milwaukee.

“We saw the blunder that was his first administration. I think this next time around, though, it potentially spells some really dark days for American democracy, and that is really, really troubling for me,” Johnson said.

The comments reflect the more overtly political role Johnson is stepping into. Until now, he has largely sought to prove his mettle as a steward of his city.

He became the first black mayor elected in Milwaukee in 2022 at the age of 35 by addressing local concerns, including crime and reckless driving. The convention and other draws like it provide a chance to sell Milwaukee, a state suffering from a long-term decline in population, as a desirable place to live and invest.

“He’s a fabulous man. I think he’s a rising star with a really tough job,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) said of Johnson.

Yet the convention is offering Johnson another avenue to elevate his political stock. He helped land Milwaukee as the host city but is now using his office as a bully pulpit.

He, similar to the Biden campaign, attempted to tie Trump to Project 2025, a presidential blueprint put forward by the Heritage Foundation, calling its agenda part of a “darker, dystopian view and vision for the future of our country.”

On Friday, Trump disavowed the platform, pitched as a way to dislodge a “permanent political class” that conservatives say is hostile to them.

“I have nothing to do with them,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Meanwhile, the former president is relying on state officials to act as surrogates. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), who represents parts of Milwaukee County in Congress, panned Biden’s policies on the economy and border with an allusion to his poor debate performance last week.

“He’s incapable of defending the policies because the policies he has put forward are indefensible,” he said in a press call ahead of Biden’s visit to Madison on Friday.

Johnson, for his part, chided Democrats who believe Biden should step aside over the debate, during which the president struggled to complete thoughts and, at times, challenge Trump. So far, four House Democrats have called for a new name atop the presidential ticket, with more waiting in the wings when Congress returns on Monday.

“Ultimately, Joe Biden is going to be our nominee,” Johnson told the Washington Examiner. “Unless Joe Biden were to come forward and say, ‘Hey, I’m not going to do this,’ then folks should rally around him.”

But Johnson reserved most of his criticism for Trump, suggesting racial animus on the part of the former president given his repeated depiction of American cities as corrupt, crime-ridden places.

“I mean, folks can read between the lines there about what Donald Trump thinks about places that have significant amounts of diversity,” he said.

Trump has previously defended himself as the “least racist person on earth.”

Johnson maintains that he has a good relationship with the RNC even as he faulted the party for returning to Trump despite his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

“It’s their candidate. It’s the candidate that got the requisite amount of delegates that has posed to be the problem,” Johnson said, noting Republicans were far less deferential to Trump when Wisconsin officials were vying to bring the convention to Milwaukee.

Yet the tension between pragmatism and party loyalty for Johnson was there from the start.

Milwaukee County is a liberal bastion that Biden won by 40 points in 2020, but if Republicans make even a dent in that support, it could swing a state decided by 20,000 votes in the last two presidential races into the GOP column.

Republicans dismissed the idea that Trump was bad for black voters on Friday’s press call, predicting the same concerns hobbling Biden’s campaign nationally will hurt him with people of all ethnicities.

“They’re in trouble. They’re in trouble for a reason, and if somebody needs a rescue plan with those voters, it’s not Donald Trump, it’s Joe Biden,” Brian Schimming, chairman of the Wisconsin GOP, told the Washington Examiner.

Johnson emphasized the outreach the Biden campaign has done to the black community in Milwaukee while panning Trump’s attempts to win their support. He suggested his debate reference to immigrants stealing lower-wage “black jobs” would turn those voters off.

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But Johnson also cast the race in economic terms, predicting Milwaukee, part of the Midwestern Rust Belt, will vote for Biden because of the manufacturing jobs created in the last three years.

“Whoever wins the state of Wisconsin wins the White House, and I think that’ll be Joe Biden,” he said.