Some Republican governors are reportedly worried about the down-ballot repercussions of a possible Donald Trump presidential candidacy.
According to the
Boston Globe, the governors fear Trump's testy campaign will push voters in 2016 races for governors, state legislators or Congress to support Democrats instead – or not vote all.
During a closed-door meeting Saturday at the National Governors Conference meeting, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says Republican governors discussed the potential for party wide damage – and the need to be "supporting civility" for the rest of the campaign, the Globe reports.
"This divisiveness needs to stop," he said. "And I hope at some point this party and governors around the nation will intervene and let our [candidates] know: This is certainly a contest between them, but it's not a blood sport and it's not something that should hurt the party."
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker also acknowledged "a lot of nervousness," the Globe reports. "I would describe the governors on both sides as having a certain fascination with what's going on," he said.
According to the Globe, Karl Rove, formerly the chief political adviser to President George W. Bush and a frequent Trump critic, spoke to the governors at a private meeting last Friday.
And he was glum about Republican electoral prospects if the real estate billionaire is at the top of the ticket in November given his low polling among women and minority voters, the Globe reports.
"The concern for the party is, we want to make sure we get a candidate that can win, so when we hear about there's a cap on Trump's or anyone else's approval, we have the right to be thinking about the general election," Gov. Matt Mead of Wyoming tells the Globe.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam tells the Globe the governors had held "a lot of conversations about impact" and the importance of the party finding a presidential nominee who can win in November.
"I think this will be a telling week," Haslam said Sunday, the Globe reports. "Obviously, the field narrowed some, and I wouldn't be surprised to see several governors come out this week" to endorse someone from the field of Trump rivals.
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