White House aide reportedly told GOP donors Ted Cruz has a likability problem, could lose Senate race


Without saying the name "Ted Cruz," a top White House official told other members of the Republican Party that the Texas senator might not be re-elected because he's not "likable," The New York Times reports.
The Times obtained an audio recording from a meeting held in New York City on Saturday, attended by Mick Mulvaney, who heads the White House Office of Management and Budget, and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Democrats need to gain 23 seats to take control of the House, and Mulvaney is heard telling the crowd of officials and donors he doesn't believe that a "blue wave" is on the horizon. He did, however, share that he believes there's a "very real possibility we will win a race for Senate in Florida and lose a race in Texas for Senate, okay? I don't think it's likely, but it's a possibility. How likable is a candidate? That still counts."
Cruz is facing off against Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke, and polls show a tight race. In response to the Times report, Cruz said he doesn't "worry about what some political guy in Washington says. I worry about what the people of Texas say." During the meeting, Mulvaney mentioned failed Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore, who lost last year's special election after being accused by several women of sexual misconduct. "The president asks me all the time, 'Why did Roy Moore lose?'" Mulvaney said. "That's easy. He was a terrible candidate." Mulvaney also predicted that Trump's dismal approval ratings won't be a problem come the midterms, because "you may hate the president, and there's a lot of people who do, but they certainly like the way the country is going."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin on August 1, with rates ranging from 25% to 40% on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration