Senate Republicans face growing pressure to endorse Trump

Senate Republicans are staring down a now-or-never state of affairs over whether or not to endorse former President Trump.

With the New Hampshire main quick approaching, those that have held off have a shrinking window to make their endorsement rely — and get into Trump’s good graces — earlier than the previous president probably runs away with the GOP nod for good.

“As the first unfolds, the political upside of endorsing the president goes down,” stated Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), an early Trump endorser. “After Iowa, he’s, in my opinion, successfully the presumptive nominee. I feel it could have been higher earlier than Iowa, actually higher earlier than New Hampshire, however in the event you wait till the conference flooring to endorse the man then what does it truly say about your convictions?”

“I feel it’s higher to do it sooner quite than later,” Vance added. 

The previous president notched an enormous win in Iowa on Monday, clearing 50 p.c and handily defeating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) within the course of.

That implies that many Senate Republicans see New Hampshire, the place the race is nearer however the place Trump nonetheless leads within the polls, as their final probability to make a significant endorsement of Trump’s bid.

They’re additionally conscious that Trump has a historical past of turning his ire — and that of his supporters — towards these he sees as disloyal.

Since early December, 12 Senate Republicans have thrown their weight behind Trump’s third bid for the White Home, together with a number of who did so solely days earlier than the Iowa caucuses. In whole, 26 Senate GOP members have gotten on board, giving the ex-president greater than half of the convention as he heads into New Hampshire. 

Maybe most notably, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) threw his assist behind Trump throughout a Friday rally in New Hampshire.

The previous presidential candidate had stored out of the highlight since ending his marketing campaign in mid-November, however each Trump and Haley had been pushing him to again their campaigns, particularly forward of the first-in-the-nation main contest. 

One supply accustomed to the state of affairs stated Trump wished the endorsement to assist him put the first combat to mattress, whereas Haley is combating for her political life forward of Tuesday. 

The Hill/DDHQ polling common reveals Trump main Haley by about 10 factors in New Hampshire.

Whereas strain from Trump’s staff has in a roundabout way been heavy-handed, sources say, the ex-president had reportedly griped privately in regards to the lack of assist from different senators, together with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). 

The Texas conservative’s endorsement got here on Tuesday within the aftermath of the Iowa outcomes, with Cruz telling The Hill that the 30-point drubbing of DeSantis turned the tide for him. 

“I stated from the start I wished to let the voters resolve. The ends in Iowa had been compelling. It was a dominating efficiency,” Cruz stated. “I do know the Iowa caucus exceedingly effectively. I’ve huge respect for the women and men of Iowa and so they take their job very, very critically.” 

“Provided that consequence, I feel the race is successfully over,” he added. 

Amongst these attempting to spice up Trump’s assist within the chamber has been Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), the chairman of the Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee and the primary member of GOP management to assist his marketing campaign. 

A supply accustomed to the hassle stated that Daines has been quietly lobbying his colleagues for the previous month to assist Trump’s staff accumulate Senate endorsements. 

“Each senator has to return to his or her personal conclusion and I’ve all the time been respectful of my colleagues regardless of the place they land. However I’m encouraging them to get behind the president as a result of he’s going to be the nominee and the earlier that we unify the higher off we’ll be for November of ‘24,” Daines advised The Hill. “Politics is about addition, not subtraction.” 

With Iowa out of the way in which, Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are each now free from their pre-caucus vows of neutrality to weigh in on the race. Ernst is taken into account the more than likely excellent member of GOP management to again the previous president, however advised The Hill that she is retaining her powder dry at this level. 

“I’m going to do no matter it takes to get [President Biden] out of the White Home. Let’s put it like that,” Ernst stated. 

Grassley, 90, was launched from the hospital on Thursday after being admitted with an an infection earlier within the week. 

A part of the pre-Iowa calculus for Trump’s staff was to not solely notch as many Senate endorsements as doable, however to win them from figures that will add to a sense that the first was over earlier than it even began. 

“What this has largely been about is: who can we get so as to add to the sense of inevitability to allow them to wrap this up and cease spending cash. … Who do our voters actually care about? Who do the press care about? Who’s an enormous deal?” stated a GOP aide for a senator who has endorsed Trump, namechecking Cruz together with Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). 

Rubio, a rival of Trump’s in 2016, introduced his assist for Trump on the eve of the caucuses, snubbing fellow Floridian DeSantis within the course of.

Regardless of Trump’s dominance, there stay a few figures more and more unlikely to again him till he’s formally the GOP nominee, headlined by these within the higher reaches of the GOP convention. 

Exterior of Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), whose unhealthy blood with Trump is well-known, Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), a high McConnell ally, indicated to reporters final week that he isn’t in a rush to make one other presidential endorsement, having backed Scott’s marketing campaign final yr. 

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) additionally demurred when requested about endorsing the ex-president and echoed Ernst, saying that he’ll do no matter is feasible to defeat Biden. Each Thune and Cornyn have been essential about Trump’s viability in a basic election setting prior to now. 

Whereas essentially the most senior Republicans aren’t anticipated to leap on board, some within the convention wish to see unity behind Trump’s marketing campaign, together with from management. 

“They should,” stated Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who was the primary senator to again Trump’s marketing campaign. “He’s going to be our nominee.”