Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha said President Donald Trump’s presence on the campaign trail both helps and hurts Republican candidates.
“It seems that Republican voters are much more energized than maybe they were a month ago,” Concha said Monday on Fox Business’s Varney & Company. “Then, the downside to that is, well, Trump can energize the other side as well.”
Trump’s job approval rating remains under 40%, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls. With affordability at the forefront of voters’ minds, Trump’s war in Iran has become extremely unpopular as gas prices remain high.
However, Concha said the president was “doing something unprecedented” by participating in 15 rallies since Oct. 1.
“He is absolutely a rock star doing these rallies,” Concha said. “He can draw people like no other public figure on the planet.”
Some Republicans in deep red states including Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) have welcomed Trump’s endorsement and presence during their races. While others have sought to distance themselves on key issues such as tariffs, overzealous immigration enforcement, and the war in Iran.
In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who has voted against Trump-backed legislation on numerous occasions, has maintained an independent campaign, distancing herself from the president as she hopes to hold on to her seat against Democratic nominee Troy Jackson.
Trump has told supporters to “pretend” he was on the ballot, a notion that Democrats were also using to fire up voters against Republicans to fight back against the president’s agenda.
TRUMP AND DEMOCRATS MAKE THE ELECTION ABOUT TRUMP
Concha said Trump’s ability to increase turnout at the polls could determine who controls the two chambers in Congress.
“When you have so many races … that are going to come down to one or two percentage points, getting out the vote could make the difference,” Concha said.
Continue reading...
[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
