The head of the House GOP campaign team is advising his fellow party members to “accept” former President Trump, which he believes is a successful approach in all areas.
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) is promoting his colleagues in Congress to back Trump, the likely GOP candidate in 2024, in his efforts to reclaim the presidency and welcome his involvement in their campaigns.
“I was one of the first people that endorsed Trump this cycle, and I’m proud to run with him. I think he’s a net positive everywhere for us,” Hudson told Politico Thursday during the House GOP’s retreat in West Virginia. “So if somebody asked, I tell them, ‘embrace him, he’s our nominee.’ I mean, he’s wildly popular everywhere right now. He’s winning every battleground state.”
His remarks were aimed at House Republicans seeking re-election in battleground districts who are unsure how to handle Trump’s presence in their district.
Hudson, the House Republican Congressional Committee chair, expressed confidence that the Republican Party will be able to maintain its majority in the lower chamber.
The North Carolina legislator is targeting four competitive seats that he believes the GOP can win in 2024, currently held by Democrats, according to Punchbowl News.
Hudson listed Michigan’s 7th District represented by Reps. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Congressman Dan Kildee’s (D-Mich.) 8th District, California’s 47th District represented by Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Virginia’s 7th District repped by Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), all posts held by lawmakers leaving the lower chamber.
He added one of the keys will be the way GOP lawmakers talk about abortion. Hudson said it is crucial for candidates to share their stance on the issue and not let the Democratic opposition define it for them.
“Last cycle, Democrats spent over $500 million telling voters what their voting position was,” Hudson said, according to Politico. “And Republicans kept quiet on it, and looking back on that — that was a big mistake.”