Washington Examiner executive editor Bob Cusack said he expects to see more Republicans breaking with President Donald Trump as midterm elections put more pressure on candidates.
“I don’t think the White House appreciates it, and I do think that those type of statements are starting to come from members of Congress now,” Cusack said on CNN’s Laura Coates Live on Tuesday. “Republican members of Congress … they’re breaking with him.”
Trump is facing increasing pressure from his party leading into the midterm elections. Rural Republicans in competitive races want the president to help lower diesel prices, calling for a ban on diesel exports. Diesel prices hit a record high on Monday, averaging $6.50 a gallon, while gasoline averaged $4.48, according to AAA.
“There’s going to be more of them [Republicans defecting] because they are seeing [Trump’s effects] in their red districts, or in their red states, they are now worried about their races,” Cusack said. “And I think the dam could break after election.”
RURAL REPUBLICANS PRESS TRUMP FOR RELIEF AS DIESEL PRICES SURGE
Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics pose another issue for Republicans as critics continue to call for reform. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) broke from Trump last week and said some immigration efforts have “gone too far.”
“As far as ICE, Democrats, you [referring to his co-interviewee, Democratic strategist Sawyer Hackett] mentioned a check on ICE, that would be a smart thing to do, not defunding ICE, but putting, you know, [artificial intelligence] guardrails,” Cusack said. “Most people would support putting some restrictions on ICE, and that’s what [Democrats are] going to have to do after the election, cause they are going to win the House. They may not win the Senate, but they are going to win the House.”