GOP senator: Voters’ decision on Trump separate from my race

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) pushed back against the idea that he is tied to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, saying his state’s voters don’t need to back one party in all races.

{mosads}”Pennsylvania voters are really quite sophisticated, and they know for sure that Donald Trump is really in a category unto himself,” Toomey said Friday.

“So they will make their decision about the presidential race, and then they will make a completely separate decision about the person they want representing them in the Senate.” 

Toomey said he is still “watching and waiting” on whether he will endorse Trump.

He is locked in a tight race with Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. The two are tied, according to RealClearPolitics polling averages, while Trump trails Democrat Hillary Clinton by 8 points in the presidential race in the state.

A McGinty aide dismissed Toomey’s remarks, saying the senator is linking himself to Trump by opposing Clinton.

“Pennsylvanians understand that it’s a Trump-Toomey ticket,” Sean Coit said, according to The Associated Press.

“If he opposes Clinton, as he says he does, he’s by definition supporting not only Trump, but the policies and values Trump would bring to the White House.”

Jordain Carney contributed.