Republican Senator Says Trump Should Withdraw From Presidential Race

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) speaks to reporters in Washington on Feb. 9, 2021. Chip Somodevilla/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

A Senate Republican has said former President Donald Trump will not be able to win in a general election against President Joe Biden.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said in an Aug. 20 CNN interview that President Trump should bow out for 2024 because of polling numbers showing he will lose to President Biden.

During President Trump’s second impeachment trial in 2021, seven Republican senators voted to convict the former president, including Mr. Cassidy.

Mr. Cassidy said the federal documents case against President Trump is “almost a slam dunk” and cautioned that Americans will not elect someone convicted of a felony.

“We may have a candidate for president who has been convicted of a crime. I think Joe Biden needs to be replaced but I don’t think Americans will vote for someone who’s been convicted. So, I’m just very sorry about how all this is playing out,” Mr. Cassidy said during CNN’s “State of the Union“ program.

Mr. Cassidy said it’s up to President Trump whether he continues in the race, but that Mr. Cassidy believes the former president will lose against President Joe Biden, based on polling data.

“I’m a Republican. I think any Republican on that stage in Milwaukee will do a better job than Joe Biden. And so I want one of them to win,” Mr. Cassidy continued, referencing the first Republican National Convention (RNC) debate to be held in Milwaukee on Aug. 23.

Mr. Cassidy said he would vote for President Trump if he won the Republican nomination, because he believes any Republican is a better choice than President Biden.

However, Mr. Cassidy’s concern with President Trump has to do with actually beating President Biden.

“If former President Trump ends up getting the nomination but cannot win a general, that means we have four more years of policies which have led to very high inflation, to a loss of purchasing power for the average American equivalent to $10,000, and to many other things which I think have been deleterious to our country’s future.”

Trump Campaign Progress

President Trump has confirmed that he will be skipping the Aug. 23 primary debate.

The former president spoke out on Truth Social, saying, "New CBS POLL, just out, has me leading the field by ‘legendary’ numbers. TRUMP 62%, 46 Points above DeSanctimonious (who is crashing like an ailing bird!), Ramaswamy 7%, Pence 5%, Scott 3%, Haley 2%, Sloppy Chris Christie 2%, ‘Aida’ Hutchinson 1%.

“The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had, with Energy Independence, Strong Borders & Military, Biggest EVER Tax & Regulation Cuts, No Inflation, Strongest Economy in History, & much more. I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”

He also said he would refuse to sign the RNC’s allegiance pledge earlier this month, which is a prerequisite for participating in the Republican primary debate.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum have committed to attending the debate and endorsing the eventual GOP nominee through the RNC pledge. Former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have suggested they will be attending the debate also.

Candidates who sign the pledge agree to rally behind the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominee and abstain from taking part in any debates not organized by the Republican National Committee. Candidates must also agree not to seek election as a “write-in” or “third party” candidate.

“I wouldn’t sign the pledge,” President Trump said in an interview with Newsmax. “Why would I sign a pledge if there are people on there that I wouldn’t have? ... I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for president. So right there, there’s a problem.”

President Trump’s 2024 campaign did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment before press time.

Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report.