• Republican strategists and commentators told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the National Republican Senate Committee is looking to field established candidates over populists in the 2024 Senate election.
• The Republican Party has failed to secure the expected Senate victory in the 2022 midterm elections as the rookie Republican candidate lost a key election campaign.
• “[We must be] Nominate a candidate who can win…a seat in the Senate is too important to throw away,” said conservative pundit Peter Roffe.

GOP campaign experts and conservative pundits told the Daily Caller News Foundation that Republicans are pushing moderates in the 2024 Senate election to avoid a repeat loss in the 2022 midterm elections. They are trying to field experienced candidates.

The National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC), the Republican campaign arm responsible for the Senate election, is considering fielding moderate candidates with experience being selected in highly competitive elections, experts say. told DCNF. They said that focusing on the odds of winning offered by experienced candidates, unlike rookie candidates who follow former President Donald Trump’s brand of populism, is vital to victory. (Related: Rep. Mike Gallagher Decided To Oppose Senate Election In Blow To Republicans)

In the 2022 midterm elections, Trump’s endorsement helped several populist candidates in Arizona, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Georgia defeat moderate candidates in the primaries. All of them continued to lose elections, observers said. attributed In response to Trump-style views that are offensive to voters in the main election,red wave” could not be realized.

This concern has made “winability” a top priority for candidates endorsed by the NRSC. A spokesman for NRSC chairman Sen. Steve Danes of Montana told the DCNF his “first priority is to field candidates who can win the primary and general election.” rice field.

“The good news for Trump is that the best candidates are likely to win the primaries in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio,” said Mike McKenna, a former Trump administration official responsible for congressional relations. ‘ said.

McKenna’s comments refer to Dave McCormick, a 2022 Pennsylvania Senate candidate who is being sued to run for the U.S. Senate in 2024 in a battle against Democratic Senator Bob Casey. . Touted According to NBC, Danes’ nominations at the NRSC’s recent winter meeting were previously lamented Populism is believed to lead to “political extremes”, called President Trump’s “liberal”.

“He’s not MAGA, he’s not MAGA… I know he was in the company that controls the money of communist China, and he’s definitely a candidate for special interests, globalists, and the Washington establishment.” is a person.” Said McCormick Trump at the 2022 Oz rally.

In West Virginia, incumbent Republican Governor Jim Justice is running to challenge Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, leading in the Republican primary. 41 points. Mr. Justice is an ally of Mr. Trump, but he is a strong candidate who has served two terms as governor and is well known and has a track record of winning elections.

In response to Justice’s announcement, Mr. Danes statement Calling him a “proven winner”. In contrast, clubs for growth — limited government Advocacy groups — working against justice with the president saying“He’ll be in the moderate camp. So we won’t endorse him in the primary.”

Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose in Ohio lead The current straw ballot field also includes Republican State Senator Matt Dolan, a 2022 Senate candidate, and Bernie Moreno, a businessman backed by Republican Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. approved.

A recent poll by Causeway Solutions found that LaRose leading 24% field. A person familiar with Mr. LaRose’s thinking told the DCNF that Mr. LaRose has “strong conservative credentials and an extensive grassroots network spanning 88 counties in Ohio.” Asked about Trump’s endorsement, the source said LaRose has not committed to seeking endorsements in 2024.[Endorsements] That’s not what this race cares about…you don’t have to put your hat on what someone thinks of you. “

A Republican congressman recently announced. Warren Davidson Ohio and state senators. Doug Mastriano The failure of Pennsylvania legislators to run for the Senate helped secure a candidate for the incumbent. Republican insiders feared the populist parties would not win the general election, according to Politico.

“There are always people who will try to stick with the guy to make their case. But elections are not about making claims. They want to win,” said one conservative commentator. Peter Roff told DCNF. “That means nominating candidates who can win … Senate seats are too important to throw away.”

Other states where incumbent Democrats are running are Wisconsin, Montana, and Arizona, where the NRSC is working to remove candidates from Congress. Those efforts were hit hard on June 9 by Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin. announced that he will not run for the Senate.

“While it is clearly disappointing, it would have been a political injustice not to try to recruit Mike Gallagher. Wisconsin would have a strong candidate,” said an NRSC spokesperson. Said Roll call.

In other states, Democratic Senator Jon Tester of Montana and independent Senator Kirsten Sinema of Arizona will run for re-election. CEO of Bridger Aerospace in Montana Tim Sheehy announced his candidacy with Mr. Danes saying He ‘couldn’t be happier’ that Sheehy was running for interim president of the Arizona Senate TJ shop has publicly expressed interest in running.

However, unlike Gallagher who was active in public and private, courting According to the NRSC, no such effort has yet been made by a commission to recruit candidates in Arizona. “I don’t know how…AZ [is] It will become clear. I don’t even know what the NRSC is going to do,” McKenna said, noting that primaries for these races will be held in 2016. summer in 2024.

But not all party members believe rejecting opposition candidates is the right strategy.

“[In 2022], the Trump- and establishment-backed candidates both lost. It’s never a straight line. People often make up stories to explain things,” said a Republican strategist who advises Moreno’s campaign at the DCNF, asking for context. “Ohio is one of the most populist and conservative states in the country. Engaging with Trump is a good thing and there is no evidence to show that it is a negative,” he added.

Former Trump administration official Christian Witton said, “The reality is that rebels like J.D. Vance, who have risen to the Senate without establishment support, will always have to seek help outside the ring road. It won’t,” he said. But he acknowledged that dissident candidates would be detrimental to the Republican Party in 2022, saying, “President Trump’s response to the eccentric candidate who lost Pennsylvania and Georgia in 2022 and won a Democratic majority in the Senate. support” was mentioned.

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