GOP senator rejects Trump as leader of Republican Party

GOP Senator Bill Cassidy has rejected former US President Donald Trump as the leader of the Republican Party and said the party should shift away from his influence in the future, following an unsatisfactory performance of several candidates Trump supported in the recent midterm elections.

Cassidy said on Saturday that he rejects “the premise that he’s the leader of the Republican Party” and noted that the Republican Party could elect a new leader.

“The Republican Party does not have a president in the office right now,” Cassidy said. “It does not have anybody who’s obviously not my leader.”

Trump has been under fire from within the GOP after the November 8 elections turned into a “complete disappointment" for the Republican Party.

Trump is seen as largely to blame for the Republicans’ disappointing performance in the vote.

Following the midterm elections on November 8, the Republican Party failed to win control of the Senate and underperformed in races across the country. The Democrats would control the Senate, and Republicans would win the House of Representatives.

Republicans are questioning whether Trump should continue as the party’s leader and pointing to his toxic political message as the common thread woven through three consecutive lackluster election cycles.

Trump announced a 2024 presidential bid last month and has since faced criticism for new controversies.

A majority of American voters in a recent poll said Trump should definitely not run for the White House again.

MG