Trump steps up outreach to House Republicans

Donald Trump is stepping up efforts to persuade the Washington GOP establishment to rally around his candidacy for president.

The GOP front-runner announced Thursday that he is establishing an outreach initiative aimed at Republican House members.

{mosads}Reps. Chris Collins (N.Y.) and Duncan Hunter (Calif.), who were the first GOP lawmakers to endorse Trump earlier this month, will serve as co-chairs of the effort, known as the U.S. House Leadership Committee.

The two House Republicans will “lead outreach efforts to their fellows Members of Congress in support of Mr. Trump’s message to Make America Great Again,” according to a Trump campaign statement.

Trump so far has eight congressional endorsements. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), an immigration hawk, is the only senator who has publicly backed him to date.

The other lawmakers who have endorsed Trump are Reps. Lou Barletta (Pa.), Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.), Renee Ellmers (N.C.), Tom Marino (Pa.) and Tom Reed (N.Y.).

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) had accumulated the most congressional endorsements before dropping out of the race earlier this month. But most Republicans who had endorsed him — or former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush — have mostly refrained from endorsing another candidate.

Trump’s campaign said the candidate is in Washington on Thursday for meetings, following a gathering last week with several GOP lawmakers and high-profile Washington figures such as former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.). The real estate mogul also announced this week that he’s creating a D.C.-based campaign office.