Many Republican senators feel “uncomfortable” and “embarrassed” by former President Trump’s suggestion that Vice President Kamala Harris is not actually black and just “happened” to adopt that identity for political expediency.
Trump’s bombastic comments Wednesday at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago immediately made national headlines and put Republican lawmakers on the defensive.
Some Republicans tried to avoid questions about whether Trump had overstepped the line, insisting he should focus on his policy differences with Harris, while others declined to comment on the matter.
Many of them are uncomfortable with the direction Trump is taking the race and fear it could get much uglier before Election Day.
“They’re uncomfortable, but they don’t want to say anything,” one Republican senator said of Republican colleagues who hope Trump will stop talking about Harris’ race.
“They don’t say anything because they want to win the majority and they need to make sure Trump supporters show up” to vote, the source added. “I’m concerned that Republicans’ silence on some of these statements will be used against us as a party.”
“He will continue to do this and the dispute will turn into something that could be very unpleasant from a racial point of view,” warned the senator. “Do we need to resurrect the summer of George Floyd?”
Trump during an interview before an audience of black journalists questioned Harris’ racial identity.
“She has always been of indigenous heritage. And she was just promoting indigenous heritage. I didn’t know she was black until a few years ago when she became black. And now she wants to be known as black,” Trump said.
“So, I don’t know, is she Indian or black?” he added.
Senators did not address Trump’s comments at lunch on Thursday, but were bombarded with questions from reporters about them on Wednesday afternoon and throughout the day on Thursday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) told reporters at a press conference Thursday afternoon that a senior Republican colleague had privately confided his dismay at Trump’s comments.
“I think my Republican colleagues are embarrassed. A senior Republican colleague said to me this morning, ‘I think you’re now going to win the election after we heard from Trump last night.’ He said that,” Schumer said.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Thursday that Trump’s comments and the media uproar they created were “beyond unfortunate.”
“I think most people would say, ‘Why is race the issue now?’” she said.
“If you’re running for president or you want to be CEO of a company, a campaign based on insulting an individual — we should be way beyond that. It shouldn’t be about what nasty name you call someone,” she added.
“It should be about the problems. I think the American people deserve better than what we see with this campaign approach. I just think it’s wrong,” she said.
Scott Jennings, who advised Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) past campaigns, said Trump “fucked up” by mocking Harris’ racial heritage.
“The only question is whether he’s going to roll over in it or get up and change the sheets,” said Jennings, who also contributes to CNN.
Other Republican senators expressed similar misgivings about Trump’s comments but were reluctant to explicitly criticize him.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who does not plan to vote for Trump, said the Republican candidate and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), should stick to talking about their political plans rather than opine on Harris’ racial heritage.
“I’ve already made it clear that I’m not supporting him, so I won’t go into daily comments. Let me just say that the Trump-Vance ticket would be much better if it focused on issues like the border, the cost of living, energy development,” she said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters Thursday morning that he didn’t think Trump’s comments about Harris’ race were appropriate.
“No, I don’t think so. I’ve known the vice president for some time. She has always embraced her heritage with pride, as she should,” Graham said when asked about Trump’s comments.
He tried to get back to the issues that Republicans think they have the upper hand on: national security and border security.
“My problem with Vice President Harris is the policy choices she made,” he said. “In terms of politics, the world is on fire and the country is in decline and I think we need new leadership. That will be my approach.”
When asked if Trump should avoid talking about race, Graham said “I think so.”
“I think the best way to win is to talk about things that are on people’s minds: personal security, financial security,” he said.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) called Trump’s comments about race a “distraction.”
“I think this takes away from the discussion I want to focus on. But it may well be that we have differing opinions about what will move voters,” he said. “I, at least, think it is the failure [of the Biden administration] in the economy, the failure on the border and the failure in national security.”
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said Trump’s comments were counterproductive.
“I don’t think it was helpful,” he told reporters Wednesday.
Sen. Mike Rounds (RS.D.), who supported Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), the Senate’s only black Republican, in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, warned that arguing about race will “decrease” Republicans’ chances of regaining power. control of the White House and the Senate.
“Anything we do that isn’t focused on policy undermines our best opportunity to win back the White House, the Senate and the House. Let’s stick to politics because we win in politics,” he said.
Asked whether Trump’s comments would alienate undecided voters, Rounds said “the biggest problem is that it takes away the opportunity to once again focus on what wins the election for us.”
“Most Americans understand that we are a diverse society and we accept that,” he said. “Diversity is part of who we are.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
