U.S. Rep. John Katko says Donald Trump should no longer be considered the leader of the Republican Party and vowed not to back down to Trump’s political threats against him.
Katko, R-Camillus, made his comments Wednesday when asked how he stays in a Republican Party controlled by Trump and his political allies.
“It’s difficult,” Katko said at an editorial board meeting of syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. “There’s no question about it. I don’t think he should be our leader going forward. I obviously made that pretty clear.”
Trump has offered to help back a GOP and Conservative Party challenger to Katko, one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach him for inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In June, Trump sent a handwritten note to the chairman of the Onondaga County Conservative Party. The note was written over a copy of a syracuse.com article about party leaders dumping Katko.
“Katko will never win again,” Trump wrote. “He is bad news.”
Katko acknowledged Wednesday that he has lost support from some Republicans because of his impeachment vote, but he said he has no regrets.
“It would have been a lot easier if I didn’t vote on the impeachment vote, but I did it because it was the right thing to do,” he said. “And I think that’s the best example of me having the political courage to do what’s right.”
The four-term congressman said he has also picked up new support from Central New York voters because of his stand against Trump.
“I’m reasonably confident that if I get to a general election, I’m going to be just fine,” Katko said. “There are an awful lot of Democrats who have come up and thanked me, and an awful lot of people who said they’d never voted for me and said they’re going to vote for me now.”
Two Democrats – military veterans Francis Conole, of Syracuse, and Steven Holden, of Camillus – have already launched campaigns for the party’s nomination and a chance to challenge Katko in 2022.
Onondaga County Conservative Party Chairman Bernie Ment said he expects the party to coalesce around a potential primary opponent to Katko as early as next month.
Katko said Trump’s offer to help bankroll an opponent in Central New York won’t change his opinion about the future of the GOP.
“I’m not backing down from anybody as far as political threats,” Katko said. “I’m not worried about that.”
Katko said he thinks Republicans would be in good hands in the 2024 presidential election with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley or U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., at the top of the ticket.
Katko said he also would consider supporting Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan or North Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for president.
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Rep. John Katko: Trump makes it difficult to stay in Republican Party - syracuse.com
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