Texas Republican becomes latest to attack Trump as senate races tighten
Senator compares dealing with president to unhappy marriage, says change ‘doesn’t usually work out very well’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Another Republican senator has launched an attack on Donald Trump, who was compared to a stubborn married man, amid competitive election races.
Speaking with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Sunday, Republican senator John Cornyn openly criticised the US president as someone who he had personal disagreements with, in apparent comparison to a troubled marriage.
“Maybe like a lot of women who get married and think they’re going to change their spouse,” he told the Star-Telegram in an interview published on Sunday. “That doesn’t usually work out very well,”
Mr Cornyn, who was elected as Texas senator in 2002, sought to put distance between his record and the president, as he admitted that he avoided public confrontations with the president.
“But when I have had differences of opinion, which I have, [I] do that privately,” said Mr Cornyn. “I have found that has allowed me to be much more effective, I believe, than to satisfy those who say I ought to call him out or get into a public fight with him.”
“I think what we found is that we’re not going to change president Trump. He is who he is. You either love him or hate him, and there’s not much in between,” the senator said.
Those comments come as opinion polls suggest Texas and other once-predictable states could prove competitive for Democratic challengers to Congress, with Mr Cornyn’s opponent, MJ Hegar, as close as three percentage points behind in an opinion poll published by Public Policy Polling last week.
Mr Cornyn’s comments come after Nebraska’s Republican senator, Ben Sasse, was reported to have said Mr Trump mishandled the coronavirus response, "kisses dictators' butts," and disrespects women.
In comments made to constituents last week, the Washington Examiner reported, Mr Sasse warned that Republicans could lose the Senate, in part thanks to Mr Trump.
Responding to the report, the president said the senator was “little” and “the least effective of our 53 Republican senators”, but with that aside, “a wonderful guy!”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments