After Special Counsel Jack Smith unveiled a third criminal indictment against Trump Tuesday evening, the Republican candidates hoping to defeat him weighed in on the new charges. Here’s a roundup of some of what they said, per the NBC News politics team.
Former Vice President Mike Pence: “Today’s indictment serves as an important reminder: anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be President of the United States.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: “As President, I will end the weaponization of government, replace the FBI Director, and ensure a single standard of justice for all Americans.”
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott: “I remain concerned about the weaponization of Biden’s DOJ and its immense power used against political opponents. What we see today are two different tracks of justice. One for political opponents and another for the son of the current president.”
Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy: “The corrupt federal police just won’t stop until they’ve achieved their mission: eliminate Trump. This is un-American & I commit to pardoning Trump for this indictment.”
Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd: “Let me be crystal clear: Trump’s presidential bid is driven by an attempt to stay out of prison and scam his supporters into footing his legal bills. Furthermore, his denial of the 2020 election results and actions on Jan. 6 show he’s unfit for office.”
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson: “January 6 is a day that calls for accountability for those responsible. I have always said that Donald Trump is morally responsible for the attack on our democracy.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: “The events around the White House from election night forward are a stain on our country’s history & a disgrace to the people who participated. This disgrace falls the most on Donald Trump. He swore an oath to the Constitution, violated his oath & brought shame to his presidency.”
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez have not yet commented on the indictment.
In other campaign news …
The bar is raised: Ahead of the Republican National Committee’s first presidential primary debate later this month, Politico reports they’ve already raised the polling and donor thresholds for the second debate, to 3% in three national polls or 3% in two national polls and 3% in two early-state polls and at least 50,000 unique donors..
Identity politics: NBC News’ Sakshi Venkatraman explores how the two Indiana American presidential candidates, Haley and Ramaswamy, are taking different approaches to identity on the campaign trail as they court a largely white base of voters.
Florida feud: The feud between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vice President Kamala Harris over Florida’s new Black history standards has continued this week, with Harris traveling to the Sunshine State on Tuesday and rejecting DeSantis’ invitation to discuss the new standards.
Buckeye buddies: Trump picked up two more congressional endorsements, Ohio GOP Reps. Troy Balderson and Bill Johnson, per NBC News’ Henry J. Gomez.
Haley’s cavalry: SFA Fund, the super PAC supporting former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s presidential bid, is launching its first TV ads of the primary in Iowa and New Hampshire, per NBC News’ Greg Hyatt and Emma Barnett.
Sununu’s surprise: New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu made a surprise appearance at one of North Dakota GOP Gov. Doug Burgum’s events in the Granite State, per NBC News’ Emma Barnett. Sununu said he is “quite partial to governors,” later adding, “I haven’t officially endorsed anyone, but Lord knows Doug’s definitely on the top of the list.”
Tiffany bows out: Wisconsin GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany said Tuesday that he will not run for Senate against Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin, per NBC News’ Adam Edelman.
Waiting for David: Pennsylvania Republican David McCormick, who lost a brutal Senate primary to Dr. Mehmet Oz last year, is “eyeing a potential fall entrance” into the race against Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, citing “several Republican sources.”
A wrench in the rematch: Former city councilmember Adam Frisch is angling for a rematch against GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado, whom he came close to defeating in 2022. Before he gets the chance to face her again, he’ll have to emerge from the Democratic primary, a task that got tougher on Tuesday as Grand Junction Mayor Anna Stout jumped into the race.
Charges in Michigan: Two Trump allies, including a former candidate for state attorney general, were charged in connection with accessing and tampering with voting machines after the 2020 election.
