President Trump plans to aggressively campaign for Republicans in 2018 in the wake of GOP Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore’s stunning loss on Tuesday, according to a new report.
The Washington Post reported that the president’s political aides have taken part in meetings with 116 candidates across the country in House, Senate and gubernatorial contests.
The president has reportedly expressed to those around him that is looking forward to traveling and holding rallies for Republican candidates.
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White House political director Bill Stepien told the Post that he has been meeting with the president on a weekly basis, in which he has discussed candidates, poll numbers and their stances on policies in relation to Trump’s.
Senior aides also told the Post that the president has expressed interest in Republican Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley’s race, as well as potential candidates such as Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) and Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R), who are both rumored to be mulling Senate bids in their respective states.
Trump’s campaign has begun the process of reaching out to the president’s supporters, sending out a “2018 candidates” survey to his supporters to get their take on issues such as gun control and the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
News of Trump’s reported plans come days after Sen.-elect Doug Jones became the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Alabama in a quarter century.
Jones’s win represented a major loss for Trump, who had thrown his support behind Moore despite numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against the Republican candidate.
Trump had gone as far as to record a robocall for Moore and urged Alabama voters at a rally in nearby Pensacola, Fla., to vote for Moore.
While Moore has yet to concede the race, Trump and the White House have signaled he should.