President Donald Trump took a shot at an old Democrat foe last night, saying former Minnesota Senator Al Franken, who resigned in January after accusations of sexual misconduct, was “a wacky guy” who folded “like a wet rag.”
Trump spoke at a massive rally at the Rochester, Minn. Mayo Civic Center, stumping for the state’s Republican midterm candidates and predicting the elections would move Minnesota into the red state column.
“It was like, ‘Oh he did something.’ ‘Oh, oh, oh, I resign. I quit. I quit,” Trump said of Franken, imitating the former comedian turned politician. “Wow. He was gone and he was replaced by somebody that nobody ever heard of.”
Lt. Gov. Tina Smith was appointed by Minnesota’s governor to succeed Franken. She faces Republican Karin Housely in November.
Franken resigned after several women accusing him of groping or forcibly kissing them. An infamous photo showing Franken kiddingly molesting a sleeping coworker also didn’t help.
Trump said there would be a “very big surprise” in the state for the upcoming midterm election. “This is supposed to be a Democrat state. … I don’t think so,” Trump said. He narrowly lost Minnesota in 2016, but Minnesota is a big battleground for the 2018 midterms.
“I need your vote. I need your support to stop radical Democrats and to elect proud Minnesota Republicans,” Trump said. A Democrat majority in the House would lead to “a nightmare of gridlock, chaos and, frankly, crime.” He called the Democrats ““truly the party of crime.”
The President also talked about the pending Brett Kavanaugh vote for confirmation to the Supreme Court, which should take place this weekend. Democrats “are trying to destroy Judge Brett Kavanaugh from the very first second he was announced.”
