GOP leaders, Trump allies encourage former president to steer clear of 2024 Senate races

Leaders in the Republican Party have voiced their concerns in recent weeks about the effect former president and 2024 GOP hopeful Donald Trump has on congressional races, encouraging Trump to stay out of Senate races in next year’s election.

Hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2022 midterm elections, where Trump’s touch appeared to have a deadly effect on GOP campaigns around the country, top Republicans have come out against the idea of Trump getting involved in 2024 races. Even some of Trump’s most loyal allies in the Senate have expressed their opinion that the former president should focus on his own political campaign and stay out of the rest.

“If I were him, I’d focus on his own election, but I doubt if he’ll take that advice,” said Trump acolyte Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Graham appeared on CNN, warning his party, “You need to learn from your past mistakes,” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, told CNN. “If you don’t make adjustments, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome, it’s insanity.”

According to The Hill, Utah Senator and Trump critic, Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), is also urging the former president to keep out of the 2024 GOP Senate contests. “I hope he stays out because him getting involved last time led to us losing key Senate races we could have won,” Romney said. “I think it’s viewed [that way] by almost every single member of the caucus, if not all of them, but I think few will say it because they don’t want to get the wrath of Donald Trump.” 

Trump has ramped up his presidential campaign activity in recent weeks, holding several rallies in various states around the country.