Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says in a new interview that presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will not fundamentally transform the GOP.
“My view is that Donald Trump will not change the Republican Party,” he told USA Today for an article published Tuesday.
{mosads}“[It is] America’s right-of-center-party. If he brings in new followers, that’s great, and well worth the effort, but he will not change the Republican Party.”
McConnell also said concerns about Trump’s likeability pale when compared to Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton.
“Some people have said our nominee is too controversial and that will cause you problems,” he said. “But, by the way, the Democratic nominee is pretty controversial, too.
“The negatives on both these candidates at the moment are stunningly high. It’ll be interesting to see whose negatives are the highest [on Election Day].”
McConnell added that Trump’s business background would make for a results-oriented White House.
“Our nominee brags about, I think correctly, as somebody who’s transactional, somebody who, as he puts it, makes deals,” he said.
“Well, that’s what you have to do in order to function legislatively, so I’m not worried about it at all,” McConnell added of concerns over Trump’s effectiveness. “I think he’d be fine.
“I want to win the election, and I have to say Donald Trump has done a good job so far of winning elections. I hope he can win one more.”