Sasse criticizes Trump, says he fears ‘Republican bloodbath’ in town hall recording

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - In a recording of Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse speaking to a group of his constituents, the Senator spoke about President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus response, foreign policy, and said he fears the President has pushed young voters away from the Republican Party. The story was first reported by the Washington Examiner.

In the roughly 9-minute recording, which was posted to Youtube Wednesday, Sasse also says he is “looking at the possibility of a Republican bloodbath,” when it comes to the U.S. Senate and the 2020 General Election.

Sasse spokesman James Wegmann told 10/11 NOW the recording was from a telephone town hall with constituents. He said in a statement to 10/11 NOW:

“I don’t know how many more times we can shout this: Even though the Beltway is obsessing exclusively about the presidential race, control of the Senate is ten times more important. The fragile Senate seats that will determine whether Democrats nuke the Senate are the races Ben cares about, the races he’s working on, and the only races he’s talking about. Just today, Senator Whitehouse was threatening court-packing in the Judiciary Committee simply because the Republican majority is going to confirm a Supreme Court nominee who steadfastly refuses to be a super-legislator. This is a civic crisis that is getting far too little attention.”

In the recording, Sasse is answering a question from a constituent about why he often criticizes President Trump.

Sasse, who says it is a “very fair question,” answers by explaining that even though he campaigned for other people during the 2016 election cycle, he has worked hard to maintain a good relationship with the President. “I think he’s done some stuff well and some poorly, and so I’ve been honest about that”, Sasse says.

As he speaks about policy differences, Sasse says Trump “kisses dictators' butts” and spends “like a drunken sailor.”

He also said he has spoken to Nebraskans who don’t want “more rage tweeting,” and worries that the President has pushed young voters toward the Democratic party. “I’ve been straight with Nebraskans that I worry that if President Trump loses, as looks likely, that he’s going to take the Senate down with him”, Sasse says.

“I’m not at all apologetic for having fought for my values against his in places where I think his are deficient, not just for a Republican but for an American,” Sasse says in the recording.

In the recording, Sasse, a member of the judiciary committee, did say the President has nominated “truly great judges” for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sasse has criticized President Trump multiple times in the past, including in early August when he called a few executive orders signed by the President “unconstitutional slop.”