March 19, 2018 12:15 PM UTC

Cory Gardner Embraces Trump for 2018 Help

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• by: Colorado Pols

Readers of Colorado Pols are aware that Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Yuma) is the 2018 Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which is a fancy way of saying that it is Gardner’s job to make sure that Republicans don’t lose control of the U.S. Senate this year. This has not gone well for Gardner, so it’s perhaps no surprise that he’ll be leaning on President Trump for help.

As Politico reports:

Even as fears grow within the GOP that Trump will cost Republicans the House, Senate Republicans say the president will play a starring role in the closely contested campaigns that will decide control of the chamber. Trump will be front and center in every state that helped elect the president, according to GOP senators and strategists, making the case that Democrats are hindering his agenda.

“If you look at a race in a state like Missouri or North Dakota — or any of these states — he’ll be very involved,” said Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, chairman of the GOP’s campaign arm, who speaks with Trump about political strategy regularly. “He’ll be actively campaigning for a Senate majority. Absolutely.”

Screeeechhhh…back up. Did you notice that part in the middle of Gardner’s quote?

Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, chairman of the GOP’s campaign arm, who speaks with Trump about political strategy regularly. [Pols emphasis]

Once upon a time, Gardner was fairly outspoken about Trump — at one point even declaring that he wouldn’t vote for Trump for President while calling for him to step aside as the GOP nominee. All that changed when it became clear that the big orange man would be moving into the White House; despite some some half-assed attempts to distance himself from the President, Gardner has generally made sure to pat him on the back as early and as often as possible.

Now, here we are, with Gardner apparently speaking with Trump “about political strategy regularly.” A cynic might say that Gardner is setting up Trump to take the fall for any Senate Republican losses in 2018. A more positive person would say that…

No, nevermind, that’s what’s happening here.