Republican senator 'struggling' over whether to back Trump in election

Reuters
·1 min read
Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Hearing on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response, in Washington

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski said on Thursday she is struggling over whether she can support President Donald Trump's re-election bid, saying criticism of Trump's response to nationwide protests by former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis rang true.

Asked if she supported Trump, who faces the nation's voters again in November, she said, "I am struggling with it. I have struggled with it for a long time."

"He is our duly elected president. I will continue to work with him ... but I think right now as we are all struggling to find ways to express the words that need to be expressed appropriately," Murkowski added.

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; writing by Susan Heavey; editing by Tim Ahmann)