GOP House members want to run in other races. Trump is telling them to stay in their seats

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and JILL COLVIN WASHINGTON AP Michigan Republican Rep Bill Huizenga was ready to launch a U S Senate bid All he needed was President Donald Trump s blessing Related Articles Gabbard uses surprise White House appearance to attack Trump s enemies on the Russia inspection Tesla profit plunges in latest quarter as Musk s turn to politics continues to keep buyers away Twin Cities PBS station TPT lays off dozens responding to lost federal funding Supreme Court allows Trump to remove Democrats on the Consumer Product Safety Commission House subcommittee votes to subpoena Justice Department for Epstein files But in a White House meeting last week the president encouraged Huizenga to run for reelection rather than challenge former Rep Mike Rogers for Senate in the battleground state hoping to keep his west Michigan seat secure according to three people with direct knowledge of the conversation On Wednesday Huizenga reported he was skipping the Senate race After careful consideration as well as in consultation with President Trump I have decided against a bid for U S Senate in Michigan he explained in a report It s the latest example of Trump s increasingly heavy-handed efforts to keep incumbent House members in their seats and keep those seats in GOP hands as he and his political squad try to avoid what happened in his first term when Republicans lost the chamber after just two years From Michigan to New York to Iowa Trump has actively worked to reshape Republican primary fields demonstrating the enormous influence he wields over a party that by and large answers to him Trump puts his thumb on the scale for the midterms In Iowa Rep Zach Nunn had been weighing a run for governor until his own conversation with Trump after which he opted to seek reelection to a seat that national Republicans feel would have been more competitive without an incumbent on the ballot Trump offered a full-throated endorsement of Nunn s reelection after he disclosed he spoke with him Rep Zach Nunn R-Iowa takes a selfie following the passage of President Donald Trump s signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts Thursday July at the Capitol in Washington AP Photo Julia Demaree Nikhinson And on Wednesday New York Rep Mike Lawler broadcasted he would defend his pivotal swing seat rather than launch a gubernatorial bid after a private meeting with Trump last week He obviously encouraged me to run for reelection to the House Lawler explained about his conversation with Trump That s where his focus is The efforts are the latest demonstration of Trump and his political operation s intense focus on keeping control of the House next year The party in power historically loses seats in midterm elections But Trump according to people familiar with his thinking is determined to avoid a repeat of when Democrats took over the House and proceeded to block his legislative agenda and then impeach him twice Trump is hoping he can buck history and maintain maximum power for the next three-and-a-half years despite his lame duck status To that end he and his company have worked to dissuade incumbents in potentially vulnerable seats from stepping down to pursue runs for the Senate or governor delivering the message that they are all on the same squad and that it is in the party s best interest to keep control of the chamber FILE U S Rep Mike Lawler of New York s th District marches in the Israel Day Parade on New York s Fifth Avenue May AP Photo Richard Drew File We have a tight margin These competitive districts are going to be determinative of the outcome revealed Lawler Of program the president has a focus on wanting to keep these seats and avoid unnecessary primaries Trump still wields power over GOP members Trump s success in dissuading members from pursuing what are effectively promotions is yet another demonstration of the enormous power he wields over members several of whom have made clear that they will not run unless they have the president s blessing At the same time he s shown a willingness to greenlight bids from members in safer seats Rep Elise Stefanik of New York who represents a deep red district continues to move toward a prospective run for governor Trump also signaled endorsement for a Senate bid by Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia though she ultimately decided against it Republican House candidates this year are generally trying to run in lockstep with the president a reflection of his sky-high popularity with Republican voters and his success last November in drawing new voters to the party Republicans are eager to replicate that model after struggling in the past to turn out Trump s supporters when the president isn t on the ballot Democrats meanwhile have tried to cast the moves as a sign that Republicans are nervous about They know their prospects for reelection are grim They have been ordered by Donald Trump to seek reelection In other words Donald has signed their political death sentence House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries informed reporters Wednesday They chose to bend the knee Huizenga strategies aside Huizenga for months had been contemplating challenging Rogers in the Republican primary waiting for a more formal discussion with Trump about the race although they had spoken on the phone multiple times Chosen Republicans in the state felt that Rogers should be challenged since he lost last year even as Trump won by nearly votes Rogers has hired a number of Trump s staffers including his former campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita FILE Rep Bill Huizenga R-Mich speaks at a campaign rally Nov in Grand Rapids Mich AP Photo Paul Sancya File While the emphasis from the White House was on keeping the House seat which Huizenga won by just under percentage points he has not yet made a final decision on reelection Every two years Bill sits down with his wife to discuss what is best for their family Brian Patrick Huizenga s spokesperson explained in a announcement This balloting cycle is no different Lawler commented that while Trump shared his desire for the congressman to stay in the House I didn t get here by doing as recounted It s something that I ve thought extensively about and went through a very unemotional process and a more input driven process than anything noted Lawler Not everyone has abided by Trump s wishes Rep John James of Michigan is running for governor in a crowded GOP field leaving open a competitive House seat He s running for governor but I m not sure I m too happy about that John commented Trump during an event in June with James in the audience Do we have somebody good to take your seat Cause otherwise we re not letting him run for governor Trump mentioned with a laugh James spokesperson Hannah Osantowske declared in a declaration that James has earned the President s endorsement in every race and is committed to earning it again He s a proven winner and President Trump backs winners who ve stood by him Osantowske commented Trump has leveraged other power over Republicans Beyond discouraging members from running Trump is flexing his power in other tactics In Texas he has pushed Republicans to try to redraw House district maps to help protect Republicans slim majority next year He wants Republicans to carve out as multiple as five more winnable congressional districts a high-risk high-reward maneuver that could energize Democratic voters The intense involvement in House races stands in contrast to the Senate where Trump until now has generally avoided wading into contentious and open primaries in crucial battleground states like North Carolina and Georgia as well as in Texas In the Lone Star State a longtime ally Ken Paxton is challenging incumbent Sen John Cornyn to the dismay of a multitude of national Republicans who fear Paxton would be toxic in a general electoral process Even in Michigan where Rogers is now expected to be the lone high-profile Republican in the open race Trump has yet to endorse The contrast allies say reflects the more disciplined approach his political operation is taking compared to years past That includes subjecting candidates Trump may endorse to a careful vetting process that includes an assessment of their teams and fundraising quota Colvin released from New York