A growing number of prominent Republicans are not even waiting until the first GOP primary debate to throw their support behind early front-runner Donald Trump.
One of the individuals who has already endorsed the former president is West Virginia gubernatorial candidate Patrick Morrisey.
In a recent interview, Morrisey, who currently serves as the state’s attorney general, said that his support of Trump has boosted his chances to succeed current Republican Gov. Jim Justice.
Noting that Trump is “very popular” in his state, he added: “One of the reasons why I think we’re so strongly positioned to win this race is because I’m the only candidate for governor who’s even endorsed Trump. Can you imagine that in a Republican primary?”
Morrisey went on to castigate his rivals who are “so afraid of the political elites in the media complex that they won’t speak out.”
Pointing to the mounting criminal charges filed against Trump since the beginning of his 2024 presidential bid, Morrisey said: “We need candidates who are courageous, to step up and call out for this political prosecution that it is against President Trump and be very clear that we cannot have a two-tiered justice system, in our state, in our country, and we need everyone on the same page on that.”
Of course, plenty of other high-profile Republicans — including some of Trump’s primary challengers — have shared a similarly dim view of the nation’s justice system in light of two indictments and the possibility of a third.
We have now reached a war phase.
Eye for an eye.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) June 9, 2023
Following news last month of charges related to Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was among the first party leaders to disavow the Justice Department’s indictment.
“It is unconscionable for a President to indict the leading candidate opposing him,” he tweeted. “Joe Biden kept classified documents for decades. I, and every American who believes in the rule of law, stand with President Trump against this grave injustice. House Republicans will hold this brazen weaponization of power accountable.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) offered a similar assessment, calling the indictment a “sham” and adding that it represents “the continuation of the endless political persecution of Donald Trump.”
