GOP's response if Trump is nominee: At least we're not socialists
| Washington
While the nation wonders whether New Hampshire means a President Trump or President Sanders, another consequential race is at hand 鈥� for control of the United States Senate.聽
This year, Republicans, who won control of the Senate in 2014, have 24 seats to defend. Democrats need only five 鈥� or four, if they win the White House 鈥� to take back the majority.聽
In an election of 鈥渟tark consequences,鈥� where four new Supreme Court justices may face Senate confirmation, Republicans plan to keep their majority by touting their accomplishments, warning against 鈥渟ocialist鈥� Democrats, and focusing on the unique characteristics of each race, said two guests at a Monitor breakfast聽Thursday.
鈥淲e think we can run on our record,鈥� said Sen. Roger Wicker (R) of Mississippi, who chairs the committee tasked with winning Senate seats for the GOP.聽
Under the leadership of Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R) of Kentucky, the Senate last year passed a bipartisan highway bill, education bill, a fix to a perennial Medicare problem, and permanent tax cuts 鈥� all of which became law. It was one of the most productive Congresses in recent years.
But right along with that positive message came a message of fear, delivered with precision by Ward Baker, executive director of the聽National Republican Senatorial Committee.聽
When asked about the potential negative affect that Donald Trump or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz might have on GOP Senate races if either were the nominee, Mr. Baker turned the tables to warn against the Democratic presidential candidates, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the self-declared democratic socialist from Vermont, or Hillary Clinton.
鈥淎ny one of our candidates would be much better than the declared socialist or the undeclared socialist,鈥� Mr. Baker said. 鈥淭he last thing that [Americans] need, for their safety, and for their future, and for their children鈥� is either Senator Sanders or Ms. Clinton, he said.聽
In a forceful tone, Baker 鈥� a former Marine 鈥� said the Democratic candidates 鈥渨ant to cut back on the military 鈥� make this country less safe, and 鈥� bring prisoners, terrorists from Guant谩namo Bay, Cuba, to Colorado.鈥�
A leaked September 2015 memo by Baker 鈥� 鈥溾�� 鈥� warned committee staff that 鈥淭rump is a misguided missile鈥� who says what鈥檚 on his mind. That鈥檚 鈥渁 problem,鈥� the memo said, because candidates will 鈥渉ave to spend full time defending him or condemning him if that continues.鈥�
At the breakfast, Baker said it would be 鈥渕alpractice鈥� not to be prepared for whoever the nominee is, and that the committee staff has looked at the down-ballot implications of each of the presidential candidates.聽
He then repeated his talking point, 鈥渘o matter who the nominee is from our party, they will be better than the undeclared socialist or the socialist of the Democratic Communist Party鈥� 鈥� to which, in an apparently calming gesture, the gentler Wicker briefly touched the arm of his colleague.
