Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) will not be receiving the former president’s support for the U.S. Senate in Missouri, he categorically stated.
In a forceful post on Truth Social, Trump said, “You can forget about Vicky Hartzler for Senate from the Great State of Missouri.” She called me this morning and, as she has on numerous other occasions, asked for my endorsement.
He went on:
In that I don’t believe she has what it takes to take on the Radical Left Democrats, along with their accomplice in the destruction of our Country, the Fake News Media, and of course, the dishonest & foolish RINOs, I was anything but optimistic. Vicky and I got along great on the phone, but I won’t be endorsing her for the Senate!
Trump’s remarks are a significant development in Missouri’s Republican Senate primary, which voters will decide in a little over three weeks. The fact that none of the 13 Trump-endorsed U.S. Senate candidates have lost in their primary contests so far in the midterm election cycle suggests that Hartzler’s campaign may be doomed if Trump declines to support her.
Hartzler is currently in third place in the RealClearPolitics polling average with 18.5 percent of the vote, trailing only Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (22.3 percent) and front-runner former Governor Eric Greitens (R-MO), who has 24.3 percent.
Greitens’ campaign national chair Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is engaged to Donald Trump Jr., tweeted a screenshot of the 45th president’s Truth Social post.
The president is absolutely correct. We need conservatives in the Senate who are strong and courageous and who will never give in, she wrote, adding that “that is why MAGA is all in for my friend, @EricGreitens.”
The president is entirely correct. We need conservatives in the Senate who are strong-willed and unyielding.
The only candidate in the race, Sen. Eric Greitens of Missouri, has vowed to vote against GOP Senate leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky if he wins the nomination and general election. Trump has repeatedly urged GOP senators to remove McConnell from his position as leader.
He said in December, “Look, Mitch McConnell, you’re a disaster.” There needs to be a new leader for the Republicans.
Following Greitens’ categorical pledge, Schmitt has been questioned several times about whether he would vote against McConnell, but the Missouri attorney general has dodged the question each time.
As noted in a February report by Breitbart News:
If Schmitt wins the seat and Republicans retake the Senate, Amanda Head of Real America’s Voice asked Schmitt at CPAC if he would support McConnell as Senate Majority Leader.
Oh look, I don’t even believe anyone is challenging him. Schmitt responded, “I’m going to take my cues from folks like Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Mike Lee and talk to them about that for sure.
Yes, I have already provided several responses to this. I’m only interested in winning the primary and the general election,” he said. I won’t jump to conclusions here. Perhaps it’s the old superstitious former athlete in me.
The election is scheduled for August 3.
