Politics

Trump scorns GOP midterm losers who did not 'embrace' him

Key Points
  • President Donald Trump on Wednesday called out by name the Republican candidates from the midterm elections who had rejected or failed to ask for his support on the campaign trail.
  • He mentions GOP candidates Mia Love, Barbara Comstock, Peter Roskam, Erik Paulsen, Carlos Curbelo and Mike Coffman.
  • The remarks came during a news conference at the White House, where Trump took a victory lap in the wake of the midterm elections even as Democrats gained majority control of the House. Republicans, however, strengthened their Senate majority.
Trump singles out lawmakers who refused his 'embrace'
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Trump singles out lawmakers who refused his 'embrace'

President Donald Trump on Wednesday called out by name the apparently losing Republican candidates from the midterm elections who had rejected or failed to ask for his support on the campaign trail.

"They did very poorly," Trump said of those GOP candidates who "didn't want the embrace" of his support.

"Mia Love gave me no love. And she lost," Trump said of the U.S. representative from Utah. "Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia." NBC News had not yet called the race at the time of Trump's news conference.

The remarks came at the White House, where Trump took a victory lap in the wake of the midterm elections even as Democrats gained majority control of the House. Republicans, however, strengthened their Senate majority.

Trump then moved on to Rep. Barbara Comstock, the two-term GOP incumbent from Virginia who lost to Democrat Jennifer Wexton, NBC News projected.

Record number of women elected to the House
VIDEO1:1101:11
Record number of women elected to the House

"I mean, I think she could've won that race, but she didn't want to have any embrace," Trump said. "For that, I don't blame her. But she lost, substantially lost."

Republican Reps. Carlos Curbelo of Florida and Mike Coffman of Colorado were also called out by the president.

Asked for a response to the president's comments, Curbelo's spokeswoman Joanna Rodriguez replied with a link to her own tweet, which said "Lol."

Tweet lol

None of the other candidates Trump mentioned immediately responded to CNBC's requests for comment.

The president added that GOP candidates Reps. Peter Roskam and Erik Paulsen also "didn't want the embrace."

Trump also expressed disappointment in GOP candidate Bob Hugin's Senate bid in New Jersey against incumbent Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez.

"Bob Hugin, I feel badly 'cause I think that's something that could've been won. That's a race that could've been won," Trump said.