During separate Sunday interviews, Senators Bill Cassidy from Louisiana and Mike Rounds from South Dakota expressed hesitation in directly endorsing Donald Trump’s potential return to the presidency.
Rounds, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” steered clear of a direct endorsement for Trump yet confirmed his support for whoever becomes the Republican nominee, hinting at a likely inclination towards Trump. “Initially, I saw Tim Scott as an ideal candidate for president. Given that Tim Scott has now backed the former president, I’ve stated my support will go to the Republican nominee,” Rounds elaborated. He highlighted the critical choice facing voters, emphasizing a shift from current economic policies to a more stable global and economic environment.
When probed by CNN’s Dana Bash on whether this stance amounted to an endorsement of Trump, Rounds clarified, “I am backing the Republican nominee for president. If that turns out to be Mr. Trump, then he represents the preferable option among the two we have.”
Cassidy, conversely, remained non-committal about voting for Trump. Notably, Cassidy was among the seven Republican senators who voted in favor of Trump’s conviction in the impeachment trial post the January 6 Capitol incursion.
In an NBC News’s “Meet the Press” interview, when questioned about endorsing Trump, Cassidy maintained a cautious approach. “As of now, my stance is to support a Republican candidate for the United States presidency,” he stated. Cassidy reiterated this position even when pressed further for a more definitive answer.
“I’ve consistently maintained, and will continue to maintain on shows like Meet the Press, that my intention is to support a Republican candidate for the presidency,” Cassidy affirmed, sticking firmly to his response throughout the interview.