Kevin Lamarque
Senior Republicans are increasingly fed up with White House moves they describe as impulsive and harmful to the party’s future, Politico reported Tuesday. Citing nearly two dozen top Republicans, the report said many say they believe President Trump’s administration is sabotaging GOP efforts to expand the Republican Senate majority in 2018, hindering lawmakers’ chances at re-election and jeopardizing the party’s plans. Several senators have reportedly complained to Trump over what they view as the latest miscalculation by his administration: attack ads launched by a pro-Trump group against a GOP lawmaker who opposed the Senate’s health-care bill. The campaign by America First Policies, a group staffed by several of Trump’s top campaign aides, was pulled amid a mounting backlash, and the health-care repeal vote was delayed. Some lawmakers are reportedly also growing frustrated with Trump’s personal vendettas against those who criticize him, a habit they say might cause disunity in next year’s Senate elections.