Mr. Trump turns his back on old friends, Republicans are confused

On the public front, the relationship between former President Trump and Republican politician David McIntosh, president of the Club for Development, fractured last week.

The reason was that the club refused to end the negative advertising campaign against JD Vance, the Ohio Senate candidate, at the behest of Mr. Trump. Instead, they backed candidate Josh Mandel. Vance and Mandel are competing for the vacant seat of retired Senator Rob Portman in the Ohio State Senate.

Former President Donald Trump and Ohio State Senate candidate JD Vance. Photo: AP

Mr. McIntosh’s disapproval of Mr. Trump is confusing some Republican candidates. Four people familiar with the matter told CNN that the Club for Development is facing backlash from board members and sponsors who worry the group’s influence will diminish if it doesn’t heal quickly. with Mr. Trump.

This is the latest development in former President Trump’s journey to expand influence over the Republican party. This clearly shows Mr. Trump’s view that allies either follow his will or stay away from him.

A spokesman for Mr Trump declined to comment on the case. Meanwhile, Club for Development spokesman Joe Kildea said Mr McIntosh and Mr Trump have worked well together in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

Kildea also noted that the group will continue to support Mandel and Alabama Senate candidate Mo Brooks, whom Trump rejected in March.

Some of Trump’s aides and allies have revealed that the former president’s relationship with “old friend” McIntosh has actually been troubled for a long time, especially when there are many elections taking place within the Republican Party. Preliminary difficulty to select the official candidate for each state’s senate race.

In recent months, they say, Trump has often complained that the club is not balanced in relationships, despite the fact that the group has spent millions of dollars promoting Trump-backed candidates. .

The conflict deepened when the club refused to support candidate Harriet Hageman, who was competing with Senator Liz Cheney of Wyoming. Cheney is one of the most vocal Republicans against Trump.