President Trump on Tuesday touted a “united Republican Party” as the House prepares to vote on articles of impeachment against him.
Speaking before a meeting with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales in the Oval Office, Trump said that he’s “never seen a Republican Party so united” and that he’s “looking forward” to the trial in the Senate should the House – as is expected – vote to impeach him.
Trump added that he will not be watching Wednesday's House session where they are expected to debate the articles of impeachment. The House Judiciary Committee last week voted to adopt two articles of impeachment alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, on a party-line vote of 23-17.
IN TRUMP IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, SENATE GOP COULD TURN TABLES ON DEMS
At the center of the impeachment inquiry: allegations that Trump tried pressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch politically related investigations regarding former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter’s dealings in Ukraine, as well as issues related to the 2016 presidential election. The president’s request came after millions in U.S. military aid to Ukraine had been frozen, which Democrats have argued showed a “quid pro quo” arrangement. Trump and the White House repeatedly have denied any wrongdoing.
Much of the talk surrounding the House vote and the possible Senate trial has centered on any possible defections from members of both parties.
Several Democratic senators who hail from states won by Trump in 2016 are being eyed as possible acquittal votes in a Senate impeachment trial and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., says he believes at least one or two Democrats could defect.
A source familiar with Senate impeachment trial plans told Fox News that Republicans believe the Democrats most likely to vote to acquit are Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., both of whom represent red states that went for Trump in 2016. Other Democratic senators believed to be in play are Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz. Trump also carried both states in 2016.
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, are hopeful that some GOP members will side with them in a Senate trial.
Those most often mentioned as possibilities are Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who has not shied from criticizing Trump; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Cory Gardner, R-Colo., who sometimes crosses party lines in votes.
McConnell has said it has been his goal from the beginning to keep Republicans together on the issue.
“My hope is that there won’t be a single Republican who votes for either of these articles in the House,” McConnell said during a recent appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity.”
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On the state level, it seems that some Republicans are more willing to defy their party in favor of impeaching Trump.
Nebraska state Sen. John McCollister, a Republican, responded to Trump’s “United Republican Party” tweet with a jab that “[t]here are Republicans ALL OVER the country who want you impeached.”
“We don’t fall for some cult of personality,” he added.
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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