Donald Trump on Monday slammed Colorado Senate hopeful Joe O’Dea as “stupid” after O’Dea said he would campaign against the twice-impeached former should he run again for the White House.
“There’s this RINO character in the Great State of Colorado, Joe O’Dea, that is running against the incumbent Democrat for the United States Senate, who is having a good old time saying that he wants to ‘distance’ himself from President Trump, and other slightly nasty things,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“He should look at the Economy, Inflation, Energy Independence, defeating ISIS, the Strongest EVER Border, Great Trade Deals, & much more, before he speaks. MAGA doesn’t Vote for stupid people with big mouths. Good luck Joe!” Trump added.
Trump’s post came a day after O’Dea said during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he would try to boost other Republican presidential candidates against Trump during the 2024 election cycle.
“I don’t think Donald Trump should run again,” O’Dea said during the interview, later adding, “I’m going to actively campaign against Donald Trump and make sure that we’ve got four or five really great Republicans right now.”
O’Dea, who has sought to distance himself from the former president and project himself as a centrist, establishment Republican, described himself as “a construction guy, not a politician,” an a statement on Monday in response to Trump’s remarks.
“President Trump is entitled to his opinion but I’m my own man and I’ll call it like I see it. Another Biden, Trump election will tear this country apart. … DeSantis, Scott, Pompeo or Haley would be better choices,” he said, referring to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (R).
“These elections should be focused on Joe Biden’s failures – supercharged inflation, a broken border, rampant crime, a war on American energy – not a rehash of 2020,” O’Dea added. “America needs to move forward.”
A recent poll shows Democratic incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet (CO) leading O’Dea 48 percent to 41 percent among registered voters.
