Mike Braun: Supreme Court Fight Will Be ‘Catapult’ for Trump, Vulnerable Senate GOP Races

Senator Mike Braun, a Republican from Indiana, speaks during a hearing titled "Oversight o
AL DRAGO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Sean Moran

Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) told Breitbart News during a conference call on Tuesday that the Supreme Court confirmation fight will serve as a “catapult” for President Donald Trump and vulnerable Senate Republicans facing reelection.

Braun told Breitbart News that the upcoming Supreme Court fight to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg would help vulnerable Senate Republicans and the president’s reelection effort. The Hoosier conservative charged that the Senate fight would boost Senate Republicans up for reelection in a similar manner to how then-Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) opposed the confirmation of then-Supreme Court Justice nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

Braun explained that after the red-state Democrats came out against Kavanaugh’s confirmation, both he and then-Senate candidate Josh Hawley (R-MO) started gaining momentum in the final weeks of the 2018 midterm elections.

Braun said, “When it comes to down-ballot races, I’ve probably got the best opinion on that, maybe along with Josh Hawley.”
He continued, “I remember how close the race was about the same time two years ago. And, when Sen. Donnelly had to make the decision, the tough decision, whether he was going to back Kavanaugh or not, it was so measurable in terms of what it did to my race, we all were in our own polling a little ahead but not outside the margin of error. After that took place after Kavanaugh was approved that took it outside the margin of error in what was considered to be a tough race in Missouri, and in Indiana, we both ended up winning with roughly six points.”

The Kavanaugh confirmation fight led to Hawley and Braun’s victories over McCaskill and Donnelly by strong margins. Braun defeated Donnelly by 5.9 points, and Hawley defeated McCaskill by 5.8 percent during the 2018 midterm elections. Their victories helped Republicans in the Senate and could help vulnerable Republicans such as Sens. Cory Garnder (R-CO), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and others beat their Democrat challengers.

Many Senate Republicans either lead or are within or close to the margin of error in the hotly contested fight for the Senate majority. Braun added the Supreme Court confirmation battle might be the boost that Senate Republicans may need in the final weeks of the 2020 elections.

“So, that is the most current reference that you could have for how important this is, and I think only helps the key Senate races, it also has a synergistic effect of helping the president as well,” Braun added. “So, I think where the election we’ve been playing a little bit from behind; it’s going to be that same catapult that made a difference back in my race and Hawley’s race in ’18.”

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.