Retiring GOP rep ‘not prepared’ to support Trump reelection bid

Republican Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.) stated Thursday that he is “not prepared” to support President Trump’s reelection bid in 2020. 

“I did not vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in 2016, and I’m not prepared to support him in 2020,” Dent, who announced this week that he will retire from Congress in May, said on CNN.

{mosads}”If the midterms don’t go very well for my party I suspect you’ll see a number of Republicans talking about making some changes at the top of the ticket,” he added 

Dent said that many of his Republican colleagues have “very serious reservations about President Trump’s performance in office.” 

“It’s that simple.”

Dent said that while most Republicans support Trump’s policies on deregulation and tax deductions, many in the GOP have deeply held objections to the president’s protectionist trade policies. 

The president’s party typically loses an average of 32 House seats during midterm elections, and Democrats need a net gain of 23 seats to take control of the House.