- Former President Donald Trump recently held rallies to boost GOP candidates in several states.
- Trump has not been to Georgia recently, despite his endorsed nominee Herschel Walker’s tight race.
- A GOP operative told the Washington Post that Trump could distract from the GOP messaging.
While many Republican candidates appreciate the support they are receiving from former President Donald Trump, some in the party are seeking to keep their distance, fearing he could derail messaging aimed at Democrats.
An anonymous GOP agent in Georgia said The Washington Post some state Republicans think it would be bad for their candidates if the former president ran.
“Trump coming to Georgia is the worst thing that can happen to Republican candidates here,” the agent told the Post. “It immediately shifts the focus away from inflation and immigration to Donald Trump, and Donald Trump lost the last election here.”
The agent also noted the competitiveness of the Senate race, in which Trump endorsed Republican Herschel Walker seeks to unseat Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock in a closely watched race that could impact which party wins a majority in the chamber.
“We have a pretty tight window to get Hershel across the finish line on election night, and Trump would undermine that,” the agent told the Post.
Previous reports have indicated that some Republicans want the midterm elections to remain focused on Democrats and President Joe Biden, rather than Trump or the 2020 election, some even worry about what might happen if Trump announces a 2024 campaign before Election Day.
Georgia’s race, considered one of the tightest in the country, was called a throw in the air by some experts, while the poll averaging site FiveThirtyEight gives Warnock a slight advantage.
But Trump, who has long bragged about the value of his endorsement and campaign appearances, has not returned to Georgia in more than six months – despite a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in September, who said he was considering returning after the Walker-Warnock debate.
Meanwhile, he continued to hold rallies alongside Republican candidates vying for a November victory in other states.
The former president was in Arizona earlier this month campaigning alongside Kari Lake, who is in a close contest for governor of Arizonaand candidate for the Senate Blake Masters, whose crucial race is also considered a draw by pundits. Trump also appeared this month at a rally in Nevada, which also has a major Senate race, and this weekend he was in Texas, which has no competitive Senate race on the ballot. vote.
Yet Trump hasn’t been to Georgia since March, even though Walker has struggled to deal with an abortion scandal. Three sources familiar with the situation told the Post that Walker’s campaign spoke to Trump’s team about the former president’s possible visit, but the suggested rally never took place.
Sources told the Post that Trump may hold several additional rallies ahead of Election Day, including in Georgia, but only where he is wanted.
“We’re not going anywhere, we’re being told they don’t want us,” an unnamed Trump adviser told the outlet. “If you’re trying to drive independents and moderate women out of the suburbs, he’s probably not your best option.”
Trump’s office did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.