Axios co-founder Mike Allen told CNBC on Thursday that some Republicans believe President Donald Trump is undermining the party’s chances in the Georgia Senate election next week.
“There is a big stream of thought among Republicans that President Trump is sabotaging this race. He did a lot not to help these candidates,” Allen said in “Squawk Box”, referring to the GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.
“I talk to Republicans and they look at what’s going on and say, ‘You know, he must be thinking,’ I want to send a message, if I’m not in the vote, Republicans are in trouble, ‘” added Allen, a political reporter. in Washington.
Allen’s comments were made ahead of Tuesday’s second round of elections, which will determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Loeffler is running against Democrat Raphael Warnock, while Perdue’s opponent is Democrat Jon Ossoff. Trump campaigned for Loeffler and Perdue earlier this month, and he is due to hold another rally in the state on Monday.
Republicans need only win one race to maintain a 100-seat majority in the Senate; the GOP currently holds a 50-48 lead, by including two independents who agree with the Democrats.
If the two Democrats were victorious in Georgia, it would tip the balance in favor of the party, because vice president-elect Kamala Harris would be the deciding vote. It would also mean that Democrats would control both chambers of Congress, in addition to the White House, after President-elect Joe Biden took office on January 20. Biden defeated Trump in the November 3 election, helped in part by his victory in Georgia. Biden was the first Democrat to win the state since 1992.
“Keeping the Republican majority in the Senate has been a priority for the president since the beginning,” Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said in a statement on Thursday to CNBC. “He will gather voters to support Senators Perdue and Loeffler and warn that his opponents are left-wing extremists who support higher taxes, the Green Deal, which smashes jobs, and amnestyed 11 million illegal aliens.”
Allen, who co-founded Politico before launching Axios in January 2017, said Republicans initially felt confident that Loeffler and Perdue defeated their Democratic opponents. “Georgia, despite the president-elect’s victory there, is still very red, so the Republicans said, ‘In the end, this can be good.’ They are no longer sure that everything is fine, and a lot of it has to do with the president, “said Allen.
Trump refused to grant the election to Biden and falsely claimed that he lost the race due to mass electoral fraud. He also attacked several elected Republicans in Georgia, including Governor Brian Kemp, for handling the election.
Trump has also pressured Congress to increase stimulus checks to Americans to $ 2,000, holding a $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package that contained $ 600 in direct payments for days before finally signing it. He continued his campaign for $ 2,000 checks, a Democratic-backed proposal that is not popular with Republicans in the Senate.
Ossoff and Warnock quickly took advantage of Trump’s demand last week and used it to strike their opponents. Loeffler and Perdue, however, have since supported Trump’s proposal for $ 2,000 checks.
“Republicans look at that and say, ‘Like every day President Trump is saying something that puts these candidates in the spotlight or does some of those … voters who might be sick of Trump anyway, but are Republicans in their bones , as every day he gives them a reason not to declare themselves or to decide to go the other way, ”said Allen.
CNBC sought out Loeffler and Perdue’s campaigns, as well as the White House, to comment on Allen’s comments.