The National Republican Senatorial Committee’s newly minted Donald Trump koozies are being hocked to fundraise on behalf of their slate of Senate candidates for 2016, including Senator Ron Johnson. This is the second time in two weeks that the NRSC’s Trump strategy has been revealed. Last week, a leaked confidential NRSC memo detailed instructions to Senate incumbents and candidates on implementing Trump-like strategies for their 2016 campaigns. Trump called the NRSC candidate guide a “compliment.”
“Donald Trump’s hateful, divisive rhetoric and policies are as un-American as they are incendiary. Fundraising on Trump’s hate speech to re-elect Sen. Johnson is desperate and outrageous. Sen. Johnson has already compared himself to Trump, saying ‘I think what’s resonating about Donald Trump… is appealing about my candidacy.’ Trump and Johnson’s policies would hurt Wisconsin. Their agenda would make it harder for Wisconsinites to get a quality education, crush women’s access to healthcare, and take away insurance coverage for children of low income families,” said Jessica Mackler, president of American Bridge 21st Century. “Just like the NRSC koozie says, Sen. Johnson’s policies show he’s ‘with Trump.'”
Background:
Johnson Said People Were Supporting Trump Because “People Are Looking For People Seeking Office To Just Tell Them The Truth.” According to Ashland Daily Press, “U.S. Senator Ron Johnson said his Friday whirlwind tour into northwest Wisconsin was not a campaign trip, but he wasn’t reluctant to talk about campaign issues at a stop at Ashland’s Deep Water Grille. […] ‘Security,’ he said. ‘People in such uncertain times, with all the challenges facing this nation domestically, fiscally and internationally, people are feeling pretty insecure. They are hungry for leadership. I think they are hungry for someone to tell them the truth.’ Johnson said that feeling was one reason why Donald Trump was doing so well in the Republican presidential race. He said Trump was willing to say exactly what he thought. ‘It indicates that people are looking for people seeking office to just tell them the truth,’ he said. ‘It’s the only way you can solve a problem. You have to face up to it, you have to admit you have a problem.’” [Ashland Daily Press, 8/7/15]
August 2015: Johnson: “I Think What’s Resonating About Donald Trump, I’d Like To Think, Some Things Is Appealing About My Candidacy Here In Wisconsin.” According to MSNBC’s Maddow Blog, “Yesterday, however, American Bridge released a new video with a recent Ron Johnson quote that stood out as especially interesting. ‘I think what’s resonating about Donald Trump, I’d like to think, some things is appealing about my candidacy here in Wisconsin.’ Obviously, the grammar and syntax are a mess, but the point seems clear enough: Johnson apparently sees himself in the Trump-esque mold. This isn’t a positive development – for the senator or his party.” [MSNBC,8/13/15]
Published: Dec 10, 2015