Two top Republicans on Thursday defended Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after harsh attacks by President Donald Trump over the chamber's failure to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, 83, the Senate's longest-serving Republican, said on Twitter:
Hours later, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake also took to Twitter:
Trump has ripped McConnell, 75, the six-term Kentucky Republican, since Wednesday over the Obamacare failure.
He first cited the healthcare debacle in a tweet responding to McConnell's comments to a local Rotary Club the president had "excessive expectations" regarding his agenda.
Trump tweeted Thursday that McConnell needed to "get back to work" on infrastructure, tax reform, and healthcare issues.
In Bedminster, N.J., President Trump later cited Obamacare again in ripping McConnell.
"For a thing like that to happen is a disgrace," Trump said. "And, frankly, it shouldn't have happened."
Flake, 54, who is in his first Senate term, is seeking re-election next year.
A Trump benefactor, hedge-fund billionaire Robert Mercer, has contributed $300,000 to a super PAC that is backing his opponent, former Arizona state senator Kelli Ward, in the primary race.
Ward failed to defeat Sen. John McCain's election to a sixth term last year's Arizona primaries.
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