Boy, how about that Republican unity Donald Trump is promoting? Here he is, talking about New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez:
“We have got to get your governor to get going,” Trump said to a cheering audience. “She’s got to do a better job. Okay? Your governor has got to do a better job. She’s not doing the job. Hey! Maybe I’ll run for governor of New Mexico. I’ll get this place going. She’s not doing the job. We’ve got to get her moving. Come on: Let’s go, governor.”
Trump also criticized Martinez for allowing “large numbers” of Syrian refugees to resettle in the state. Although governors have limited control over these federal resettlements, Trump faulted Martinez for allowing it to happen.
“If I was governor, that wouldn’t be happening,” Trump said.
Martinez is, to recap: a woman. A Latina woman, to be more specific. The Republican governor of a swing state. The political wisdom of attacking her is … unclear, at best. She is also one more prominent Republican who is not yet endorsing Trump. As a Martinez spokesman said:
“… the Governor will not be bullied into supporting a candidate until she is convinced that candidate will fight for New Mexicans. Governor Martinez doesn’t care about what Donald Trump says about her – she cares about what he says he will do to help New Mexicans. She didn’t hear anything about that today.”
Brave words, but want to bet that Martinez conveniently becomes convinced Trump will help New Mexicans, without Trump having to change his message to win her over? Because in 2016, Republican unity is starting to mean swallowing whatever Trump says about you—and saying you support the nominee.