Exclusive: Rep. Hudson defends Trump's midterm gamble
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Rep. Richard Hudson. Photo: Axios screenshot.
President Trump's comment that he doesn't "care" about midterms has been misinterpreted, National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Rep. Richard Hudson said Tuesday at Axios AM Live.
Why it matters: The president's war in Iran has jacked up prices, and there is growing concern that his unfulfilled promise to address cost-of-living issues could cost Republicans the Senate and the House.
What he's saying: "President Trump cares deeply," Hudson told Axios' Kate Santaliz on Tuesday.
- "The world is safer because of what President Trump has done in Iran. And so, you know, that was the context. The context wasn't that he doesn't care what people are going through."
- "You know, he and I have conversations all the time about it. He cares deeply about what people are going through."
Catch up quick: Trump said last month during a Cabinet meeting that he does not "care about the midterms," saying Iran is mistaken if it believes he will back down or reach a deal because of domestic pressure.
- "They thought they were going to out-wait me, you know. 'We'll out-wait him. He's got the midterms.' I don't care about the midterms," Trump said.
- That comment followed a previous Trump remark that Americans' economic hardships don't concern him either: "I don't think about Americans' financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon."
Zoom in: Research from polling firm AtlasIntel last month found that Democrats lead the generic House ballot 55% to 40%.
- Dems also came out on top on every major economic issued tested, including the cost of living and the economy.
Zoom out: Hudson also said that the redistricting wars that Trump set off by demanding Republican states draw new maps mid-cycle is escalating fast.
- "I think we can all agree redistricting is a little out of hand," he said, noting that this November "will be the only time I've ever run in the same district twice," despite taking office in 2013.
- "It's been a wild west. It's a game the Democrats have been playing the entire decade. I think it's about time Republicans got in the game."
- "For the Democrats to accuse us of doing something that they've been doing for a decade, you know, makes me chuckle."
Go deeper: Primaries leave muddled picture of Dems' way ahead
