GOP Congressmen Urge Trump to Focus on Economy, Immigration

Donald Trump should concentrate his campaign message on immigration and the economy, two issues where President Joe Biden is most vulnerable, Republican congressmen say, according to a report in Roll Call on Tuesday.

The congressman say that their constituents complain about both high overall consumer prices, even as inflation has eased, as well as an open southern border, and that Trump could take advantage of that if he has the discipline to stay on message and not permit his legal troubles to bog him down.

“I think, right now, on the current course and speed, he wins a general election,” North Carolina GOP Sen. Thom Tillis said of Trump. “I think a lot of it depends on tone and priorities. The American people want somebody to give them optimism, and give them a sense that the next four years are going to be a hell of a lot better than the last four.”

North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer suggested that Trump could turn the situation at the southern border into two issues; saying “the border” would fire up his Republican base and “immigration” would appeal to the independent voters in the key swing states who will likely decide the election.

Cramer added that “the economy is recovering a little bit, but things are still not catching up. Obviously, people’s wages aren’t catching up to inflation.”

In the meantime, Biden has struggled to find a reelection message about the economy that resonates with most voters, Roll Call reports. 

Polls have also shown for months that most voters believe Trump and Republicans are better equipped at handling immigration and the economy. 

“Talking about bringing back American jobs to this country, talking about taking on these big multinational companies that have been selling out our workers, closing down our border, getting wages growing again. I mean, I just think that’s what he ran on in 2016,” said Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley.

“That’s why he became the Republican nominee against all odds. That’s why he won that [2016] general election against all odds, against all predictions,” he added. “So, I just think that’s the right message. It’s not one that’s welcomed by the Republican establishment at this time at all. They hate all of that stuff. … But if we’re not in a working-class party, we’re not going to be a majority party, ever.”