ICYMI: GOP Senate candidates align with Trump in bashing bipartisan infrastructure bill [CNN]

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

CNN: GOP Senate candidates align with Trump in bashing bipartisan infrastructure bill
By Manu Raju and Alex Rogers
August 6, 2021

Key Points:

• Sen. Rob Portman, the longtime Washington veteran and savvy deal-cutter, is on the cusp of achieving a major bipartisan achievement that would amount to a capstone of his three decades of public service: The Senate’s passage of a roughly $1 trillion package to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure. But the bevy of Ohio Republicans looking to replace the retiring senator in 2022 have a sharply different view. 

• The divide between Republicans on Capitol Hill and in Senate primaries isn’t unique to Ohio, reflecting how Trump’s influence now largely rests with the primary electorate, rather than with sitting GOP senators.

• In intraparty contests throughout the country, Republican candidates are lining up against the bipartisan deal — and lining up with Trump — reflecting not only the heightened partisanship in American politics but also how primaries incentivize candidates to demonstrate purity to their base voters.

• In Tillis’ state of North Carolina, the consensus is clear: The three top GOP candidates —former Gov. Pat McCrory, Rep. Ted Budd and former Rep. Mark Walker — are flatly opposed to the bill.

• Trump has made his position clear, calling the legislation a “loser” for the U.S. — without explaining his rationale. It’s not clear many primary candidates are ready to defy him.

• None of the top Ohio GOP candidates — Mandel, a former Ohio Treasurer, former Ohio Republican Party chairwoman Jane Timken, Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance and businessmen Bernie Moreno and Mike Gibbons — support the deal.

• Meanwhile, Democrats are running on the Senate’s bipartisan bill, bolstered by national polls showing broad support for investing in US infrastructure.

• At least two top Republicans running for Blunt’s seat — state Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former governor Eric Greitens — oppose the bill.

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