Skip to main content
Tags: mccain | gop | infighting | elections

McCain: GOP Hurts Chances in General Election with Sniping

McCain: GOP Hurts Chances in General Election with Sniping

By    |   Sunday, 04 October 2015 04:45 PM EDT

Republicans running for president are hurting their party's general election chances by attacking each others' character, Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 GOP nominee, said Sunday.

"If we disparage each other and impugn the character of each other , then after the primary is over, then obviously there's a trust and support deficit amongst the American people," McCain said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

McCain said he isn't utopian, and has "always believed that a fight not joined is a fight not enjoyed." But he added that candidates should look at how Ronald Reagan ran his campaigns.

"We can fight like blazes with each other where we disagree. But to impugn each other's characters and integrity is very harmful to each other, ourselves and our chances of winning a general election," he said.

One area of McCain's own disagreement with one of the candidates is Syria.

Front-runner Donald Trump said last week he welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin's moves into Syria to take on the Islamic State (ISIS.)

The White House has said Russian strikes have actually hit members of the Free Syrian Army, with whom the United States is allied, an not ISIS.

McCain told CNN that Trump's position shows he doesn't understand the situation.

"As far as other members of my party are concerned, that all I can say is, I know the realities. I've been there for years," McCain said.

Related Stories

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


Newsfront
Republicans running for president are hurting their party's general election chances by attacking each others' character, Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 GOP nominee, said Sunday. If we disparage each other and impugn the character of each other , then after the primary...
mccain, gop, infighting, elections
256
2015-45-04
Sunday, 04 October 2015 04:45 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved