Defeated Republicans mocked by Trump fire back at president
By Juliegrace Brufke - 11/14/18 11:47 AM EST
House Republicans mocked by President Trump after their midterm losses are pushing back on his rhetoric, arguing that embracing the commander in chief wouldn’t have changed the outcome of their races.
Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), one of several Republicans singled out by Trump at a press conference last week, said that while elements of the GOP base love Trump, embracing the president would likely have caused him to lose by an even wider margin.
“I mean, it was obviously disappointing,†Coffman said of Trump’s comments, “but I think he has to know that he's not popular in my district.â€
Coffman lost his reelection race, in a district that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won by 9 points over Trump, by 11 percentage points. He said a Trump visit wouldn’t have helped him and that it wasn’t offered.
“He never offered to come out to the district and I clearly didn’t ask him, but I think it would not have been positive and he knows that,†he said.
Along with Coffman, Trump slammed Reps. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), John Faso (R-N.Y.) and Mia Love (R-Utah) for not embracing him on the campaign trail. All lost their reelection bids.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/house/416653-defeated-republicans-mocked-by-trump-fire-back-at-president