In Milwaukee, Bost Says Biden Should "Step Away"
Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) speaks to media on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI Monday.
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As Republicans opened the GOP’s National Convention Monday in Milwaukee, a supporter and surrogate for former President Donald Trump, Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) explained the confidence seen by Republicans.
He said the public was turned on to President Biden’s issues with aging following the June debate.
“[This job] is in the hands of a person who is not only aging, but aging very rapidly,” Bost said. “When you get to that point, it’s part of life, it’s part of aging. It’s the time that you step away from those things.”
He says the continued questions about Biden’s status in the race will only strengthen the GOP.
“We know who our candidate is,” Bost said. The question is, ‘do they know who theirs is?”
But in a state where Donald Trump has lost by more than a million votes in both 2016 and 2020, Bost gave a bullish view on the GOP’s position in the state.
“We are united by the [top of the] ballot,” Bost said. “Change happens. I’ve seen a lot of changes. The party can speak together, then they need to unite as one. It’s easier for us to unite right now than, I think, it is for the Democrats.”
Bost says Trump’s presence on the top of the ticket in 2024 will be dictated by policy, not dislike for the former president’s bombast and rhetoric.
“Personality, we dealt with that in 2020,” Bost said, speaking to media outside of the Illinois delegation hotel Monday morning. “Donald Trump has a unique way that we’ve never seen in politics before. But how can a mother that’s had her child murdered by a stray bullet in Chicago, under Democrat control, go ‘oh yeah, I don’t like Trump’s personality?’ I think that went out the window with the issues we’re dealing with right now.”
The enthusiasm still needs to lead to electoral victories for Republicans to make an impact in the state. Bost says Republicans need to follow former President Ronald Reagan’s mantra that agreeing with someone 80% of the time makes them your ally.
“The party needs to understand that we have very unique locations and people who are running for office,” he said. “Hopefully we can get to that point.”
Both Bost and his primary opponent this spring, former Sen. Darren Bailey, are elected Trump delegates in the 12th Congressional district. Sources say Bost called Bailey last week to “bury the hatchet” and show a unified front for the GOP delegation.