2024 GOP hopefuls: Enough about Trump. Let's talk about Biden.
Some Republican presidential candidates voiced frustration Sunday as former President Donald Trump’s latest legal woes continue to be the dominant issue in the primary race.
Instead of focusing on issues like inflation, energy and crime, Trump is “just talking about himself,” former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Sunday during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“I want Republican voters to know, this is a preview of the election coming up if Donald Trump is the nominee. He'll be talking about Donald Trump rather than Joe Biden. And what we should be focused on is talking about Joe Biden and his record, and that's why he cannot be the nominee,” Christie, a frequent Trump critic, said.
“There's an entire industry built around commenting on President Trump, and I'll just leave it to the pundits,” North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said during an interview on ABC’s “This Week.” “I mean, we're in a position today where, when we're out talking to voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, they're not asking about the indictments. If they want to, they can turn on a cable news network and watch that seven by 24.”
Trump’s legal troubles have left little oxygen for candidates in the crowded GOP field hoping to gain on Trump, whose standing in the polls has only improved as the number of charges against him grows. Other candidates have been forced to toe the line between attacking the runaway front-runner while refraining from alienating his base.
The former president’s campaign also seems to have benefited financially from his indictments, with fundraising bumps following his indictments in New York and Florida.