Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse's anti-Trump crusade painted as 'power trip' by prominent Republicans
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While Republican Sen. Ben Sasse (Neb.) has earned praise from both sides of the aisle for his brazen attacks on Donald Trump, Politico reports that he's also been losing some of his supporters because of his outspokenness. Party elites and Nebraska constituents alike are calling foul on Sasse's claim that the open letter he posted on Facebook, which tore into Trump and suggested Sasse would support a third-party candidate, had nothing to do "with political posturing." Sasse's critics contend that his frank stance is actually about his plans to ascend the political ladder — and possibly even launch a presidential run in the near future.
"It's forced and somewhat contrived for somebody who doesn't have much to show … to all of a sudden be the darling of certain corners of the political spectrum for simply being the guy who says, 'Don't vote for Donald Trump,'" said David Kramer, a former Nebraska GOP chairman who supported Sasse in the general election in 2014. Former Nebraska GOP congressman Hal Daub says Sasse's recent moves "leave some in Nebraska wondering if he just isn't in too big of a hurry."
At least one Nebraska voter, Jack Schreiner, confirmed that sentiment. "I misjudged the guy completely," Schreiner, an "early Sasse supporter," said. "He's on a power trip, and that's what this whole thing has been about."
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Read the full story on how Sasse is setting himself apart — for better or for worse — over at Politico.
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