SOURCE:
POLITICOURL:
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/donald-trump-republicans-campaigning-226583By ALEX ISENSTADT and THEODORIC MEYER
As Donald Trump staggers following a series of self-inflicted political wounds, Republican candidates up and down the ballot are expressing growing disinterest in hitting the campaign trail with him this fall.
Over the past week, POLITICO surveyed nearly 50 GOP candidates in competitive House, Senate and governor’s races on whether they’d be willing to campaign with the Republican nominee. Only a handful said yes — and the rest said no, refused to commit or didn’t respond at all.
It’s an unusual turn of events. Typically down-ballot candidates — eager to generate excitement and media attention for themselves, to turbocharge fundraising, and to increase their stature — spend the fall months proudly campaigning alongside their presidential nominee.
But in the year of Trump, appearing on the same stage as the party’s standard-bearer — whose negative ratings are higher than any other GOP nominee's in recent memory — is perilous for those running in hypercompetitive states and districts.
“I would recommend they have a perpetual scheduling conflict,” said Rob Jesmer, a former National Republican Senatorial Committee executive director who advises a number of the party’s most prominent lawmakers.
Among those most wary of campaigning alongside Trump is Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman, a suburban Denver Republican whose district broke for President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Nearly 20 percent of the district is Latino — meaning it could well turn against Trump, whose rhetoric on immigration has alienated minorities. In recent days, Coffman, an Army and Marine veteran who fought in Iraq, has made clear his displeasure with Trump.
“Mike has grave reservations about his policies, his tone, this latest mind-blowing dust-up with Gold Star parents,” said Cinamon Watson, a Coffman spokeswoman. “So no, we aren't campaigning with Donald Trump.”
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