The now-assured Republican nomination of Donald Trump poses a dilemma for candidates around the country. The choice is to either distance yourself from his campaign and hope that inoculates you from attacks tying you to the many stupid things he’s said, or to be a “team player,” roll the dice, and support the nominee despite the ridicule he’s received from influential members of his own party.
Governor Pat McCrory went with the second option, and now Senator Richard Burr—running neck-and-neck against Democratic challenger Deborah Ross—has made that same decision.
In a series of tweets yesterday that show a tenuous-at-best grasp of how to use a hashtag, Burr came out and supported the Republican nominee.
The North Carolina Democratic Party, obviously, came out this morning and attacked Burr for his endorsement. “He doesn’t say, but it would be great to know exactly what part of Trump’s candidacy—the woman-hating, the race-baiting, or his history as a con man—which of those things does Burr support?” said NCDP spokesman Dave Miranda.
Back in March, Public Policy Polling found that a full 48 percent of voters said that Burr endorsing Trump would make it less likely that they would vote for him in November. Good luck with all of that, Senator.