Ari Fleischer warns Dems ‘will kill’ GOP in 2018 if Trump approval rating doesn’t go up

Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Wednesday that the defeat of GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore in Alabama on Tuesday night was a sign that President Trump’s approval numbers are bringing down the Republican Party.

In a tweet Wednesday morning, the former George W. Bush aide wrote that Democrats “will kill” the GOP in the 2018 midterms unless Trump does something to boost his popularity with voters outside of his base.

“Establishment candidate Ed Gillespie lost. Non-establishment candidate Roy Moore lost. The lesson: A base-only POTUS isn’t enough for gop to win,” Fleischer tweeted.

Establishment candidate Ed Gillespie lost. Non-establishment candidate Roy Moore lost. The lesson: A base-only POTUS isn’t enough for gop to win. Ds hate Trump more than Rs love him. POTUS needs to increase his approval rating or D turnout will kill Rs in 2018.

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) December 13, 2017

Moore was defeated by Democrat Doug Jones in the special election despite an endorsement from Trump and support from the GOP. The loss came after multiple women accused Moore of sexual misconduct when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.

Ed Gillespie, who was also endorsed by Trump, lost a heated race to be Virginia’s next governor by about 9 points in November. On Tuesday, he hinted that Trump was a factor in his defeat.

“If you’re not standing up for President Trump, for his supporters, they see you as not for him,” Gillespie said. “And it’s not that I was not for him, it’s just that I’m not against him. I wanted to be for Virginia and I wanted to keep the focus on Virginia.”

Trump has rejected blame for his chosen candidates’ defeats, and instead blamed Moore’s loss on the deck being “stacked against him” in the general election. Trump originally endorsed Sen. Luther Strange (R) in Alabama’s GOP primary.

“The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election. I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him!” Trump tweeted Wednesday.

The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election. I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2017

Trump had previously said that Gillespie lost in Virginia because he refused the president’s help on the campaign trail.