- GOP Rep. Don Bacon said he won't support Donald Trump in the 2024 primary if the former president runs.
- However, Bacon did not commit to swearing off Trump if he were to be the Republican nominee.
- On "Meet the Press," Bacon urged his party to focus on the 2022 midterms instead of the 2024 election.
Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon said he won't support former President Donald Trump if he tries to seek the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Trump has been toying with the idea of running for president in the next election but has not made any firm commitments. According to a Politico report, Trump may be more likely to commit to a 2024 run if Biden announces his own reelection bid.
Bacon made his remarks to NBC's Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press" on Sunday when Todd asked if he would vote for Trump in 2024.
"I'll be looking for other candidates," Bacon said. "We have a great slate of potential Republican presidents for 2024, and I look forward to being very involved and trying to get the right candidate nominated."
When pressed by Todd on if he would "never" vote for Trump, Bacon said: "I'm reluctant to go there, but he's not going to be my choice in the primary. That's for sure."
Bacon added that the average American person does not like the "name-calling" and "rude behavior" of politicians.
"We have to also learn the lesson, 'Why did we lose in 2020?' It was the comportment and the temperament, and yes, a democracy respects elections," Bacon said. "And our president should have respected the conclusion."
Bacon said the Republican party should focus on the 2022 midterm elections instead of the 2024 elections.
"I feel like we're missing the boat if we focus on 2024," Bacon said. "I think if we have a Republican House and maybe a Republican Senate, it will force Joe Biden and his administration to go to the middle. But right now, he is not. He's catered more to his left side of the aisle."
Democrats may face an uphill climb in November as strategists have raised the alarm that the party needs to solidify its messaging on the economy and other major issues affecting voters.
President Joe Biden has recently been said to be "really twisted" over his low approval rating, which has dropped down to 33 percent, per a June 8 Quinnipiac poll.