retired republican senator pat toomey says trump should not be the nominee 2024 and calls his behavior 'completely unacceptable'
Republican Senator Pat Toomey, who is not seeking another term in office, urged his party not to nominate Donald Trump as its presidential candidate in 2024, calling his behavior in the aftermath of the 2020 election 'completely unacceptable.'
'I think that the future of our party is to be a party of ideas, and not to be a party about any one individual, and I think we will learn a lot from the next set of primaries,' he told CNBC at the Ambrosetti Forum in Italy on Friday.
'I think after what happened post-2020 election, I think the president's behavior was completely unacceptable, so I don't think he should be the nominee to lead the party in 2024,' he added.
Trump repeatedly and falsely claimed he won the 2020 election.
Toomey was one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, in charges that the former president helped incite the January 6th riot at the Capitol, where his supporters tried to stop the certification of Joe Biden's victory. The entire Senate ultimately voted to acquit Trump.
Republican Senator Pat Toomey urged his party not to nominate Donald Trump as its presidential nominee in 2024
Donald Trump has not yet revealed his 2024 plans
The Pennsylvania senator was a staunch Trump ally earlier in the former president's administration.
He said he drifted from Trump because the former president moved away from conservative policies.
'It is President Trump who departed from Republican orthodoxy and conservative orthodoxy in a variety of ways. I stuck to the conservative views that I've had for a long time, he had a different point of view on matters such as trade and sometimes immigration and other things,' he said.
Trump has not revealed his 2024 plans but has said he is considering another run at the Oval Office.
The Republican field of those seeking the GOP nomination is expected become more clear after the 2022 midterm election.
Trump still holds significant sway in the Republican Party and his loyal tribe of MAGA supporters are expected to be a force in the GOP primary.
The former president has not been shy about going after those who have criticized him, including Rep. Liz Cheney, one of 10 House Republicans to vote for his impeachment.
Senator Pat Toomey arrives on the fifth day of the second impeachment trial in February 2021; he was one of seven Republicans who voted to impeach Trump
The entire Senate ultimately voted to acquit Donald Trump
Toomey announced in October he won't seek a fourth term in office, insulating him from a Trump-led primary challenge.
Trump announced on Wednesday he's endorsing Sean Parnell to replace Toomey. Parnell is a frequent guest on Fox News and a staunch Trump ally.
Parnell is one of more than half a dozen Republicans running in the primary for the GOP nomination.
The Pennsylvania Senate race is among the most competitive of the 2022 midterm elections.
Biden won Pennsylvania in the 2020 election after Trump won it in the 2016 contest.