Senate Dems’ campaign arm knocks GOP for Trump support
The Senate Democrats’ campaign arm is knocking vulnerable Republican incumbents for refusing to stand up to Donald Trump amid a string of recent controversies.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) will release an ad on Thursday, entitled “Morally Tainted,” questioning the judgment of GOP lawmakers who continue to support the brash Republican presidential nominee.
{mosads}”They still support him,” the web ad, which was obtained by The Hill, says. “If they won’t stand up to Trump, how will they stand up for us?”
Democrats have raced to link GOP candidates to Trump, who they argue is unfit to be president and hope will be a drag on down-ballot congressional races.
Thursday’s web ad is an early preview of what ads against Republican incumbents could look like heading toward November, as Democrats make Trump a central campaign issue.
The ad targets a handful of Republicans in crucial Senate races, including Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Richard Burr (N.C.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.), saying they still support Trump despite disagreements on his policies and tone.
It also includes photos of GOP Sens. Roy Blunt (Mo.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) and Rob Portman (Ohio), who have maintained support for Trump.
Republican senators have walked a fine line on Trump, criticizing him on specific policies but refusing to cut ties with him and his base of supporters that they will need to win in November.
Their stances have earned them criticism from some pundits. The ad includes MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former GOP congressman, arguing in June that Republicans must start “calling [Trump] out” and journalist Cokie Roberts calling them “morally tainted.”
Republicans are defending 24 Senate seats this November, including a handful in purple states previously carried by President Obama. Democrats need to net five seats — or four, if they also retain the White House — to take back the Senate majority.
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