WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 Republicans intensified their public criticism of former President Donald Trump on Thursday, with some saying it was time for the party to move on after an unexpectedly poor showing in the midterm elections, even as he prepared to launch a third White House bid next week.
Virginia鈥檚 Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, once a vocal Trump supporter, said voters had sent 鈥渁 very clear message鈥 Tuesday that 鈥漞nough is enough.鈥
鈥淭he voters have spoken and they have said that they want a different leader. And a true leader understands when they have become a liability,鈥 she said in 鈥淎 true leader understands that it鈥檚 time to step off the stage. It is time to move on.鈥
Earle-Sears, who served as co-chair of a group called Black Americans to Re-elect President Trump in 2020, also said she 鈥渏ust couldn鈥檛鈥 support another Trump campaign.
Some advisers his planned announcement until after the that could determine which party controls the Senate to avoid turning the race into a referendum on him and unintentionally helping Democrats. But Trump, rebuffing that advice, on Thursday invited reporters to a 鈥淪pecial Announcement鈥 at his Mar-a-Lago club on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 9 p.m.
That leaves him trying to launch a comeback bid at a time when he finds himself in a position of extraordinary vulnerability after dominating the party, largely unchallenged, since he won the nomination in 2016. Still, Trump has proven remarkably resilient, retaining his base's support, even through the 鈥淎ccess Hollywood鈥 scandal that nearly sank his first campaign, and the deadly storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
At the same time, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who easily won reelection Tuesday, is gaining new attention as Republicans openly weigh moving on from Trump.
Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the Senate鈥檚 No. 2 Republican, noted Trump鈥檚 role in lifting some inexperienced and controversial candidates during primaries earlier this year who went on to lose in this week鈥檚 elections.
In an interview, Thune said there鈥檚 鈥渘o substitute for good quality candidates.鈥
鈥淲e had some very contested, competitive primaries this year,鈥 said Thune. 鈥淎nd in some cases, you know, there were lots of forces at work, including outside folks making endorsements in some of those races.鈥
Thune said he hoped the party would begin to see the emergence of younger leaders.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 have a party that鈥檚 built around one person鈥檚 personality,鈥 he said.
Former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who clashed with Trump during his first two years in office, called Trump 鈥渁 drag on our ticket" who would hurt the party's chances in 2024.
鈥淲e want to win the White House and we know with Trump we鈥檙e so much more likely to lose,鈥 . 鈥淚f we have a nominee not named Trump, we鈥檙e so much more likely to win the White House than if our nominee is Trump.鈥
Retiring Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey also blamed Trump's intervention for GOP losses in his state and noted Trump-endorsed candidates did notably worse than other Republicans on the ballot.
鈥淚 think my party needs to face the fact that if fealty to Donald Trump is the primary criteria for selecting candidates, we鈥檙e probably not gonna do really well," he said on CNN. 鈥淎ll over the country there鈥檚 a very high correlation between MAGA candidates and big losses or at least dramatically underperforming."
Trump has disputed that he had a bad night.
鈥淔or those many people that are being fed the fake narrative from the corrupt media that I am Angry about the Midterms, don鈥檛 believe it," he said on his social media network. 鈥淚 am not at all angry, did a great job (I wasn鈥檛 the one running!), and am very busy looking into the future. Remember, I am a 鈥楽table Genius.鈥"
There is also the chance that additional Trump-backed candidates will win their races. While the sweeping victory Republicans predicted did not come to fruition, the party still appears well positioned to flip the House, and could ultimately take the Senate, too. Many races remain too early to call.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no such thing as ugly wins or pretty losses," said Jason Miller, a former Trump campaign staffer who was among those who had until after the Georgia runoff.
鈥淣ancy Pelosi's political career is over," he predicted. "The Biden agenda鈥檚 dead."
Other Trump allies provided statements to media outlets on the former president's behalf, endorsing him even before his impending announcement.
鈥淚 am proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President in 2024. I fully support him running again," House GOP Chairwoman Elise Stefanik said in a statement. 鈥淚t is time for Republicans to unite around the most popular Republican in America, who has a proven track record of conservative governance.鈥
鈥淚f he runs in 2024 not only will he have my support, but he鈥檒l have the support of millions of Americans across the country,鈥 said Rep. Jim Banks, a top congressional ally.
Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance, who emerged as Trump鈥檚 most successful candidate, said if the former president decides to run again, he's confident he will be the party鈥檚 nominee.
鈥淓very year, the media writes Donald Trump鈥檚 political obituary. And every year, we鈥檙e quickly reminded that Trump remains the most popular figure in the Republican party," Vance said in a statement provided after inquiries to Trump's spokesman.
Trump's decision to move forward now is driven, in part, by his desire to try to freeze the field and lock in support to try to halt the rise of DeSantis, whom he has long considered his most formidable potential foe.
In a sign of his growing frustration, Trump released a lengthy and angry statement Thursday evening berating Fox News and other Rupert Murdoch-controlled media outlets for going 鈥渁ll in for Governor Ron DeSanctimonious DeSantis,鈥 whom he slammed as 鈥渁n average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations,鈥 as he again took credit for DeSantis鈥檚 2018 win.
While Trump allies had previously insisted that reports of tensions between the men were overstated, Trump, who has privately slammed DeSantis for failing to rule out a run against him, did so publicly.
鈥淲ell, in terms of loyalty and class, that鈥檚 really not the right answer,鈥 he wrote, comparing the race to his winning 2016 campaign. 鈥淲e鈥檙e in exactly the same position now. They will keep coming after us, MAGA, but ultimately, we will win. Put America First and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
___ Associated Press writers Stephen Groves Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia, contributed to this report.
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