In a shift from his idiosyncratic and mostly unsuccessful endorsement strategy in special elections since he took office, President Donald Trump has, ahead of the midterms, set aside his habit of punishing his past critics and is backing candidates with the best chance of winning, according to White House aides and outside advisers, Politico reported on Tuesday.
Sources describe a president who is at greater ease at being the face of the Republican Party than ever before and has been flexible and accommodating to party goals.
This includes Trump’s willingness to go along with the candidates picked by party leaders and settling personal rivalries in the name of unity and a desire for Republicans to do well in the November elections.
Trump’s conforming to GOP mainstays has included the president trying to halt the momentum of Republican candidates attempting to capitalize on his outsider persona, according to Politico.
One such example is Trump’s endorsement of California gubernatorial candidate John Cox, even though Cox voted for libertarian Gary Johnson in 2016.
This endorsement came at the urging of state GOP leaders who fear being shut out of the general election in November under California’s top-two finisher rule.
Under California’s system, the top two finishers advance to the general election irrespective of party affiliation, which means that two Democrats could face off in November.
California’s national Republican committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon said Republicans are concerned that if this happens there could be a statewide swing of 3 to 4 percentage points because of GOP voters staying home, which could make it more difficult to hold on to key Republican congressional seats and in thus risk GOP control of Congress.
Another example was in the West Virginia primaries last month, where Trump rejected former coal executive Don Blankenship, who modeled his insurgent campaign after the president’s and even posted a statement to his website that he is “Trumpier than Trump” after the president told Republican not to vote for Blankenship.
The president told West Virginians that Blankenship, who was in prison for a year for safety violations following a deadly explosion, “can’t win” over Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in the fall and urged them to vote for either Republican Rep. Evan Jenkins or the primary victor, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.
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