Republicans to Trump: Shape Up, or Lose the Senate

Republican leaders are warning Trump that he needs to shape up, or risk losing the Senate. Party leaders have watched their nominee with increasing alarm after weeks of bad press. Republicans fear that a loss at the top of the ticket could wipe out their majority.

GOP leaders have been advising their candidates to run their own campaigns, separate themselves from the presidential race, and focus on the accomplishments Republicans have achieved for their home states.

In recent interviews, several top party members told CNN there isn’t much they can do if Trump loses by 10 points in battleground states. They’re now pushing Trump to right the ship to avoid a landslide win by Democrats in the fall. Republican leaders want their nominee to focus on attacking Hillary Clinton’s vulnerabilities.

GOP members still believe there’s more than enough time to change course, especially with Clinton’s high negative ratings in national polls. Many are also confident that Senate Republican incumbents will be able to outperform Trump in their respective states.

“One of the good things about the Senate is the races are big enough to stand on their own,” said Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader. McConnell is confident that Republicans will maintain control of the Senate.

To take control of the Senate, Democrats would need to pick up four seats if Clinton wins in November and five seats if Trump wins.