House Republican Leadership Tells GOP Candidates in Swing Districts to Avoid All ‘Trump Talk’ During the Campaign: Report

In a sign that Republican congressional leadership views Donald Trump as electorally toxic, the chair of the National Republican Campaign Committee advised candidates in battleground districts to avoid “Trump talk.”

CNN reporter Melanie Zanona said on Friday’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer that Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) has told certain GOP candidates not to mention the former president’s name.

“I am told that Tom Emmer – he is the head of the House GOP’s campaign arm – has been privately counseling some Republican candidates in battleground districts to avoid the Trump talk and to not be distracted by the former president, and to instead focus on the issues like inflation and crime when they’re out on the campaign trail,” Zanona said. “And so, it is very clear that GOP leaders want these upcoming midterms to be a referendum on Joe Biden and not Donald Trump.”

She added that she’s spoken with some Republican candidates running in what are expected to be close elections.

“They said they do try to avoid talking about Trump,” she said. “One of them told me that they only mention him when they’re asked about Trump. Another said they don’t mention him by name – ever. And they just try to focus on his policies.”

Zanona added that this has been difficult advice to follow given that Trump often dominates the headlines, especially as he hints at another presidential run.

“And so, there is a lot of Republican concern about how this is all potentially going to impact their efforts to retake the House majority,” she said.

Zanona also noted there are similar concerns about-Trump backed candidates in swing states in the Senate. On Thursday, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressed concern about “candidate quality” in some of the Republican nominees

Watch above via CNN.