* But few candidates have it worse than Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey who’s caught in a vise. Toomey, who has long refused to endorse either presidential candidate, blasted Trump’s remarks over the weekend. But Democrats have nevertheless aggressively pursued Toomey, labeling him “Fraidy Pat” for ducking chances to clarify his stance on Trump’s candidacy.
* Toomey’s not the only one facing blowback from the leaked audio. Pennsylvania Republican sources say they expect several congressional races to feel the impact of the Trump tape, especially in moderate Philadelphia suburbs where independent-minded voters found it particularly distasteful.
* GOP Rep. Pat Meehan, who represents the Philadelphia suburbs, has called for Trump to exit the race, a sign of how toxic he is in that part of the state. Brian Fitzpatrick, a congressional candidate in nearby Bucks County, said in a statement Saturday that he would not vote for either presidential candidate.
Politico: Inside the scramble to save the GOP from Trump
With just weeks to go until Election Day, it’s as close as it gets to a nightmare scenario for battleground state Republicans. Pro-Trump loyalists have declared war on those who have renounced their presidential nominee, candidates can’t get their message out because of the din, and Democrats are milking it for all it’s worth, with some even rethinking shifting resources to down-ballot contests that previously looked out of reach. And it’s all due to Trump’s meltdown.
… Adding to the challenge for down-ballot Republicans, especially in more competitive races, is the increasingly bellicose tone Trump and his allies are taking toward defectors — from House Speaker Paul Ryan to the vulnerable candidates he’s trying to protect, like Nevada Senate contender Joe Heck and Rep. Cresent Hardy.
… But few candidates have it worse than Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey who’s caught in a vise. Toomey, who has long refused to endorse either presidential candidate, blasted Trump’s remarks over the weekend. But Democrats have nevertheless aggressively pursued Toomey, labeling him “Fraidy Pat” for ducking chances to clarify his stance on Trump’s candidacy. Since 2 p.m. on Sunday, the McGinty campaign, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have sent out at least 24 news releases using the phrase.
Toomey’s not the only one facing blowback from the leaked audio. Pennsylvania Republican sources say they expect several congressional races to feel the impact of the Trump tape, especially in moderate Philadelphia suburbs where independent-minded voters found it particularly distasteful.
GOP Rep. Pat Meehan, who represents the Philadelphia suburbs, has called for Trump to exit the race, a sign of how toxic he is in that part of the state. Brian Fitzpatrick, a congressional candidate in nearby Bucks County, said in a statement Saturday that he would not vote for either presidential candidate.
“Being a nominee for president is such an awesome responsibility, not only to your own campaign, but to the party,” said Kevin Madden, a veteran national Republican operative. “That depressive effect is being felt down-ballot … when you’re knocking on doors for swing votes, you’re not just getting Republicans. When [an incident] turns off so many suburban voters, suburban women voters, you’re knocking on doors and getting it slammed in your face, people don’t want to go out and get doors slammed in the face.”
Read the full article here.