It would be less surprising for a Democrat to cross the aisle and vote to impeach President Donald Trump than it would be for a Republican to vote to acquit him, Sen. Roy Blunt said Wednesday.
"I think all the Republicans understand that this was a partisan issue," the Missouri Republican said on Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "Some Republicans thought we needed to hear more witnesses, a couple did. No Republicans thought more witnesses would change the outcome. The outcome has been certain for a long time."
Blunt said he thinks one or two Democrats will vote to acquit Trump, just as two or three voted in the House not to impeach him.
"The bipartisan vote on this up to now has been the vote not to do it," said Blunt. "I think that is likely the bipartisan vote again today."
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, remains the one Republican said to be undecided. Blunt said he doesn't want to speak publicly about his discussions with other senators, but he'd be surprised if a Republican vote is lost.
Blunt added that he thinks Trump would like to see Democrats like West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin or Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama vote to acquit him. However, Jones said Wednesday that he will vote in favor of convicting Trump.
"I think it's more important to both of them that they very seriously consider and vote to acquit because I guarantee the majority of people in West Virginia and Alabama don't believe the president should be removed from office," said Blunt.
He also rejected comments from Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said she'll vote to acquit Trump but noted that she thinks he's learned his lesson from this case.
"I don't think he feels like he got away with anything," said Blunt. "He believes he was doing what was the right thing to do."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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