Former President Donald Trump has once again targeted veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove, dismissing him as a "loser" after Rove warned in a Wall Street Journal column that Trump's signature MAGA rallies might not be sufficient for Republican candidates to secure victories in the approaching midterm elections.
Trump's remarks came on Friday, directly addressing Rove's assessment. "Look, you have Karl Rove, he's a loser," Trump told reporters. "He's been a loser all his life. Karl Rove doesn’t know what he’s talking about."
Rove, who previously served as a senior adviser and deputy chief of staff for George W. Bush's presidential campaigns, had written that Trump's omnipresence on the campaign trail, while keeping him in the headlines, could shift the focus of the midterms to Trump himself amidst his declining approval ratings.
"It's too soon to know if this bet will pay off, but it carries real risks," Rove wrote. He elaborated that while Trump's most dedicated supporters would likely vote regardless, "Less enthusiastic supporters are the ones whose votes Republicans need."
Trump, however, countered Rove's analysis by touting the strong attendance at his own rallies. "Every place I’m going to, every place is full, loaded with people, lines outside trying to get in," he stated. "I’m going to Fort Myers right now. They say there’s a line of people that’s five miles long."
Trump has endorsed candidates such as Senator John Husted (R-Ohio) and gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy. However, recent polling indicates challenges for these candidates. A Fox News survey showed Husted trailing his opponent, Sherrod Brown, by five points. Similarly, a Marist University poll indicated that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton had 50% support compared to Ramaswamy's 43%.
This is not the first time Trump has publicly criticized Rove. In a previous instance, Rove announced his intention to vote Democrat for only the second time in his life, citing concerns about the GOP being "infiltrated" with "conspiracy nuts." Trump responded on social media at the time, calling Rove a "stone cold loser."