Endorsing Trump still not a must-do for half of the most vulnerable House Republicans
Here’s a ranking of who might still jump aboard the Trump train this year
Having a target on one’s back – as is the case with the 17 House Republicans serving in districts that incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden carried to varying degrees in 2020 – is a stressful position to be in as a politician.
Yet even with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee lambasting their every move and most of their GOP colleagues trumpeting Donald Trump’s 2024 comeback bid, nine of the 17 Biden-won district defenders seemingly can’t bring themselves to publicly endorse the embattled former president.
A 24sight review of House and Senate Republicans who are on the record supporting Trump’s latest reelection effort shows that he’s currently backed by 77% of congressional Republicans, getting the thumbs up from all but 11 of the 49 Senate Republicans and 169 of the 219 House Republicans. (At least until vocal Trump critic Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., leaves at the end of this week, whittling another vote away from struggling House Speaker Mike Johnson’s barely functioning majority.)
While some of the Biden-won district holders must be relieved about most likely never having to vote for leadership’s unsubstantiated Biden impeachment probe, Trump’s shadow is once again looming large now that the general election is set.
With every House GOP leader on board for another Trump term – including House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, who as one of Trump’s biggest cheerleaders on the Hill is clearly vying for the vice presidential nod – the pressure is on to come together as a party ASAP.
Rep. Nick LaLota of New York was the first Biden-won district holder to endorse Trump, throwing his support behind the twice-impeached, quadruple-indicted candidate after he won the Iowa caucus. Fellow New Yorker Brandon Williams followed suit after Trump won in New Hampshire, and New York Rep. Anthony D’Esposito signed on a month later.
Five others bit the bullet after Super Tuesday, including Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, Jen Kiggans of Virginia, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, and Marc Molinaro of New York.
Many of the recent converts relayed the same it’s-not-much-of-a-choice energy displayed by Senate latecomers Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
Here’s a look at the remaining Biden-won district holdouts, ranked from least to most likely to embrace Trump between now and Election Day.
9 Rep. David Valadao of California
One of only two House Republicans who voted for Trump’s second impeachment still serving in Congress – the others either retired or were primaried by Trump-endorsed MAGA replacements – this 5-term lawmaker declared in late 2022 that he could not, in good conscience, support Trump ever again.
“We don't need President Biden. We don't need President Trump,” Valadao told ABC News of his rematch malaise.
Valadao won reelection in 2022 with 52% of the vote.
8 Rep. Mike Lawler of New York
The last Biden-won district New Yorker standing, Lawler has chided conservative colleagues for throwing the House into chaos last fall by ousting former Speaker Kevin McCarthy to score political points and has clamored for current GOP leadership to get back to legislating rather than electioneering.
Lawler beat incumbent Democratic Rep. Sean Maloney in 2022 by garnering 50% of the vote.
Lawler did not respond to multiple requests for comment about endorsing Trump this cycle.
7 Rep. Tom Kean of New Jersey
This freshman lawmaker has mostly kept his head down. That hasn’t stopped the DCCC from circulating clips of Kean trying to dodge CNN host Manu Raju’s uncomfortable questions on Capitol Hill.
Kean beat incumbent Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowksi in 2022 by garnering 51% of the vote.
Kean did not respond to multiple requests for comment about endorsing Trump this cycle.
6 Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
This 4-term lawmaker and seasoned tax writer is another one who wouldn’t give CNN a straight answer about supporting the former president.
Fitzpatrick won reelection in 2022 with 55% of the vote.
Fiztpatrick did not respond to multiple requests for comment about endorsing Trump this cycle.
5 Rep. Young Kim of California
This 2-term lawmaker, who in early 2021 declared herself the “future of the Republican party,” seems more wishy-washy these days – at least when it comes to Trump.
When pressed by Politico about the endorsement question, Kim first tried sidestepping the sensitive issue. She then made the executive decision to say “she wasn’t sure.”
Kim won reelection in 2022 with 57% of the vote.
4 Rep. Michelle Steel of California
Another 2-term lawmaker who tends to try and steer clear of controversy, Steel’s stance on endorsing Trump is somewhat shrouded in mystery.
Politico reported that she’s ignored repeated queries about her official position on the 2024 presidential race. But she was listed as one of the Team Trump members on a political fundraising invite, and appears as one of the GOP delegates pledged to Trump after California’s primary.
Steel won reelection in 2022 with 52% of the vote.
Steel did not respond to multiple requests for comment about endorsing Trump this cycle.
3 Rep. John Duarte of California
Seems like it’s more a question of when rather than if Trump gets the thumbs up from this freshman lawmaker. Like many of the others who’ve run out of excuses since Trump sewed up the GOP nomination, Duarte told Politico that at the end of the day he’s all in on beating Biden.
“We’re gonna get this country turned around … I’m glad to be a part of that,” he said of ultimately toeing the party line.
Duarte won his way to Congress in 2022 by garnering 50% of the vote.
Duarte did not respond to multiple requests for comment about endorsing Trump this cycle.
2 Rep. Mike Garcia of California
One of the House Appropriations Committee members, Garcia has tried to get whoever is in House GOP leadership to notch some legislative wins for all House Republicans to run on rather than catering to culture war fights.
Garcia did vote to overturn the 2020 election results on Trump’s behalf, and has signaled that he’ll support the GOP nominee this fall.
Garcia won reelection in 2022 with 53% of the vote.
Garcia did not respond to multiple requests for comment about endorsing Trump this cycle.
1 Rep. Dave Schweikert of Arizona
A founding member of the Trump-aligned House Freedom Caucus who actually split from the leadership-bucking group last year because of the reportedly misdirected heat he was getting about the ultra-conservatives back home, this 7-term lawmaker still remains on the more MAGA side of the aisle in Congress.
He voted to overturn the 2020 election results on Trump’s behalf and was adamant about the need to crack down on immigration throughout the failed bipartisan border deal fight on Capitol Hill.
Schweikert won reelection in 2022 with 50% of the vote.
Schweikert did not respond to multiple requests for comment about endorsing Trump this cycle.