Vulnerable Republicans step up appeals to Trump amid primary threats
A handful of these senators have faced criticism from the right wing accusing them of not being sufficiently supportive of Trump and his agenda.
Since Trump took office in January, however, some of these Republicans, including Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.), John Cornyn (Texas) and Thom Tillis (N.C.), have taken steps to show their allegiance to Trump through public statements and support for his nominees.
'[Trump's] the most powerful he's ever been,' Republican consultant Scott Wilfong said. 'And if you don't have his favor, you're looking to get it.'
The risk of a primary challenge for not being supportive enough of the president has been a political reality for the GOP during the Trump era. Since first taking office, Trump has shown a willingness to criticize members of his own party, withhold his endorsement of them and even back challengers to incumbents, unlike any of his predecessors in the Oval Office.
While the Republican Party has only become increasingly unified behind Trump, there remains a handful of party figures who — despite considering themselves strong supporters of the president and overwhelmingly voting in line with his stances — have been attacked for insufficient loyalty and commitment to his ideals.
This criticism has generally come from Trump's most fervent supporters, some of whom are interested in ousting those members of Congress.
The most vulnerable may be Cassidy, the two-term Louisiana senator who already has a primary challenge announced.
Louisiana state Treasurer John Fleming (R) launched his candidacy for Cassidy's seat in December, declaring Cassidy has 'failed the people of Louisiana' and arguing the state deserves a 'true conservative voice.'
Fleming slammed Cassidy's support for some legislation supported by the Biden administration, including the bipartisan infrastructure law and gun safety law passed in the aftermath of the Uvalde, Texas, shooting.
But the biggest blemish on his career in the eyes of Trump's most loyal followers is voting to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Cassidy's willingness to criticize Trump could be his main Achilles' heel, more than any policy issue, said Wilfong, who is based in Louisiana.
'I think it's unique, because I really don't know a lot of policy issues that voters are mad at Cassidy on. He doesn't have one of those bad votes, other than the vote on Trump,' Wilfong said, adding that some may be upset at his infrastructure bill vote, but the anger is not as pronounced.
Wilfong said Cassidy has improved his chances in recent years, coming 'back from the dead,' putting in hard work for local constituents and delivering infrastructure money for the local government. And he, and others in similar positions, have been playing up their allegiance to Trump.
The social media profiles for Cassidy, Tillis, Cornyn and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst (R) are filled with posts praising the president's decisions and noting contrasts with the Biden administration.
Posts thanking and praising the Trump administration are certainly commonplace for Republican members of Congress, but may have particular importance for those in potentially vulnerable electoral positions.
'You can never thank Donald Trump too much, but you can thank him too little,' one North Carolina Republican operative said.
Beyond statements declaring support for Trump's energy policy and '100%' backing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following the leak of plans to attack the Houthis, Cassidy recently responded to Trump's executive order to dismantle the Education Department by introducing legislation to formally shut it down.
Cornyn officially launched his reelection campaign Wednesday and immediately began the video with praise for Trump's time in office and affirming that Cornyn 'had his back.' This came days after Cornyn received attention for plugging Trump's 'Art of the Deal,' posting a picture of himself reading it.
Cornyn has faced criticism for reaching across the aisle from the party's right flank, as state Attorney General Ken Paxton seems poised to challenge him for the Republican nomination. Paxton has attacked Cornyn over his support for continued U.S. aid to Ukraine and the gun safety legislation.
Some county parties in Texas censured Cornyn for his vote.
One of the thorniest recent issues for these senators was their decisions on some of Trump's most controversial nominees, including Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Cassidy's position as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee gave him prominence in deciding whether to support advancing Kennedy's nomination. After expressing hesitation, he voted in favor.
Tillis was viewed as a possible defector for these votes but declared he would support any nominee voted favorably out of committee and ultimately did back all of them, despite reportedly telling Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) initially that he would vote against Hegseth.
Tillis has faced attacks for voting for Democratic priorities, such as the gun safety legislation and the Respect for Marriage Act, votes that led to the state GOP censuring him. He also faced backlash for efforts working with Democrats on a compromise immigration deal that ultimately didn't advance.
The North Carolina operative said Tillis has 'legitimate' issues with the Republican base but said no major name appears primed to challenge him currently. The controversial former Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) has ruled out a run, and the only others currently running are little known.
Former state superintendent nominee Michele Morrow has been subject of speculation about a possible run, but the operative said she could be plagued by baggage from her unsuccessful campaign, despite being effective at raising money.
He said he believes Tillis's relationship with Trump is currently positive even if it might not be as strong with some Trump allies. But demonstrating support will need to be consistent, he added.
'Like it or hate it, that's part of the game now,' the operative said. 'And so, if I were him, I'd be down at Mar-a-Lago a lot, and I'd be finding some part of the Trump agenda to really champion loudly and make myself champion for that.'
Someone who may be in an even stronger position may be Ernst, who has received some attacks from the right but hasn't been quite as much a target as others.
She took center stage in the Hegseth nomination process as a key member of the Armed Services Committee. After expressing concerns about Hegseth, including his past statements on women in the military, Ernst voted for his confirmation.
Doug Gross, a former Republican nominee for Iowa governor, noted widespread pressure on Ernst from the right to confirm Hegseth, particularly amid a possible primary challenge from radio talk show host Steve Deace.
An opinion piece from state Attorney General Brenna Bird (R) also caught attention from political observers as Ernst was making her decision. The piece didn't mention Ernst by name but referenced 'D.C. politicians' not ignoring their constituents in what was considered a subtle nod at the senator.
'[Bird's] sending a signal for Trump here in the state and the MAGA base. Joni has been very adept at adjusting when need be to avoid that, and I think she's effectively done that,' Gross said. 'I don't hear any more about primary opponents.'
Gross said Trump's influence has escalated more than during his first term, when he still wasn't shy about using it in primaries.
'The difference this time is twofold,' he said. 'One is, they are in full control of the levers of power, full control, in the party and the country. And secondly, they run a very disciplined political operation that's willing to punish those that aren't with them and reward those that are.'
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