CLEVELAND – For all the talk of Republicans finally rallying behind Donald Trump in Cleveland, there’s an underlying concern that members of Congress and other Republicans candidates may feel the heat from voters in the general election. Some are concerned that having Trump as their presidential candidate will impact races lower on the ballot in November.
Congressmen from Georgia and Florida said they think they’ll be just fine.
“That's yet to be seen how the top of the ticket is going to impact the House races -- in the Senate races especially -- but I'm very confident we are going to maintain the majority. Will we come back and have 247 seats remains to be seen, but I am very confident that we will have a comfortable majority going into next year,” said Buddy Carter, R-Georgia.
Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Gainesville, and Carter both said they are supporting Trump.
“I think everyone wants to be unified behind a single candidate -- and Donald Trump is that candidate,” Carter said.
Yoho admits his opinion of Trump changed during the primary process.
Yoho spoke at length about national security and said he believes that has become the No. 1 issue in this race.
“I'm 100 percent behind them; 125 percent,” Yoho said. “You know it wasn't that way in the very beginning, but he's our nominee and will be the nominee coming out of this convention."
Carter said he likes what Trump brings to the table.
“You have to keep in mind the thing that Donald Trump brings to the table,” Carter said. “First of all, he's a businessman. Secondly, he's a Washington outsider. And third, and most importantly, he is not Hillary Clinton, and that is vitally important."
Adam Putnam hosts delegate breakfast
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam has been in Cleveland all week and hosted a breakfast event for delegates Tuesday that featured Ben Carson as a speaker. Putnam also talked about the reason Republicans need to hear messages beyond the RNC events.
“We had some great speakers. The enthusiasm, the passion that is abundant in these grassroots volunteers is tremendous and it spills over into these local races,” Putnam said. “It's not just the White House that this enthusiasm translates into, it's up and down the ballot. Congressional seats in Northeast Florida all the way down to school board races.”
While opponents attack the GOP candidate as divisive, Putnam says a lack of collaboration in Congress on proposed legislation is driving Trump’s campaign.
“Anyone can see that Washington is broken," Putnam said. “And Trump has really tapped into the energy and the frustration that's out there that's being leveled against both parties.”
Putnam said he will do whatever he can to keep what he calls a “great thing" going.
“We've got to protect the momentum that we have as a business-friendly state,” Putnam said. “As a destination for talented people who are fleeing high-tax rust-belt states, high-tax northeast states and are making Ponte Vedra, Palm Beach and Polk County their home because they get what Florida is doing and they like what they see.”
Putnam could be a candidate for governor in two years.
Florida's current governor, Rick Scott, is scheduled to be the first speaker at Wednesday evening's session, and Attorney General Pam Bondi will appear on the agenda as the fourth speaker.