Former President Donald Trump has offered to support a Republican primary challenger to replace New York GOP Rep. John Katko who voted to impeach him following the events of Jan. 6.
Syracuse.com reported the story, along with a copy of a handwritten letter from Trump written alongside an April 23 article. The headline read “Onondaga County Conservative Party dumps John Katko over Trump impeachment vote.”
Trump called it, “A great move.”
He wrote, “Katko will never win again. He is bad news. Please thank all including those in Wayne and Cayuga — and now Onondaga.”
Trump added, “I won big in area. Will help with campaign — find a great candidate.”
Onondaga County Conservative Party Chairman Bernie Ment told Syracuse.com, “It was a surprise to me this morning when I got [the letter].”
Ment added, “I was shocked. It just turned up out of the blue.”
According to the report, the Onondaga County GOP is waiting for the completion of the state’s congressional redistricting before it selects a candidate to support.
Katko was one of 10 GOP House members to vote in favor of Trump’s impeachment.
The New York congressman is the last remaining member of the 10 who has yet to receive a Republican primary opponent, according to The Hill.
Trump has also added his endorsement to other candidates who voted to impeach him. In a statement on Friday, the former president officially endorsed Alaska Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka, opposing incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski who voted for his impeachment.
“Lisa Murkowski is bad for Alaska,” Trump said in the statement. “Her vote to confirm Biden’s Interior Secretary was a vote to kill long sought for, and approved, ANWR, and Alaska jobs.”
He added, “Murkowski has got to go!”
In a move that will likely surprise no one, Fmr. President Trump has officially endorsed Republican Kelly Tshibaka for US Senate in Alaska in 2022, pitting her against incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski for the Aug ’22 primary. pic.twitter.com/d33sV2HtA5
— Nathaniel Reed (@ReedReports) June 18, 2021
Tshibaka launched her campaign against Murkowski in March, contrasting her conservative values with those of the sitting senator.
Endorsing Tshibaka as his choice to replace Murkowski, Trump said, “Kelly Tshibaka is the candidate who can beat Murkowski — and she will. Kelly is a fighter who stands for Alaska values and America First.”
He added, “She is MAGA all the way, pro-energy, strong on the Border, tough on Crime and totally supports our Military and our great Vets. Kelly is a powerful supporter of the Second Amendment and JOBS! I look forward to campaigning in Alaska for Kelly Tshibaka. She has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.