GOP Midterm Senate Candidates Urged to First Get Blessing From Trump

Republicans thinking of running for the Senate in 2018 — reelection or otherwise — are being advised to first get the blessing of President-elect Donald Trump, according to the Washington Examiner.

First, it's not an uncommon practice, plus given the president-elect's penchant for taking to Twitter to air his views, it's better to get his approval first rather than get blown up later, the Examiner reported.

"I think that would be smart," Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas told the Examiner.

The Examiner reported Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Cory Gardner are encouraging candidates — especially incumbents who got crossways with the president-elect — to seek Trump's approval first.

One such candidate seeking reelection in the 2018 midterms is Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who not only refused to endorse Trump but was an outspoken critic as well.

The Examiner reported Flake has yet to reach out to the president to patch things up.

"What I'm doing is, I'm supporting [Trump] when I agree," Flake told the Examiner. "You assume the best, and look for the good, and move ahead."

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