President Donald J. Trump on September 11, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks/Flickr)
A Republican lawmaker running for reelection in a tight race is trying to distance himself from President Donald Trump — but voters will not let him do so.
In an NPR report on Colorado's third congressional district, journalist Bente Birkeland interviewed voters about their incumbent Republican lawmaker, Rep. Jeff Hurd. While Hurd has attempted to claim he is not a diehard MAGA supporter by saying he opposes Trump's tariffs and sales of public lands, the Coloradans who spoke to Birkeland continued to link him to the unpopular Trump policies that he did support.
Retired teacher Renee McCullough, who is a full-time caregiver to her significantly disabled adult son Chris, told Hurd that they oppose him voting for the so-called Big Beautiful Bill that cut programs like Medicaid while giving money back to wealthy Americans through tax reductions.
"Why would you have voted for that if you know that it's gonna take money and services and everything away from your constituents?" Hurd was asked.
Unaffiliated voter Sandra Hernandez was directly insulting toward Hurd, "Congress is, is failing. They have just turned. They're kind of like my pup, rolled over on their back to rub your belly to the executive branch, do what you want."
Voter Julie Seidel was also scathing in her assessment of Hurd.
"I've been working hard," Seidel told Birkeland. "I believe you're competent. I believe you're a standup guy. But I also think that, to use an old metaphor, you are doing a really good job of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic."
Hurd responded to criticisms like these by saying, "And I will tell you, I'm not perfect and I'm gonna make mistakes, and there's probably better ways that I could be doing it and I will strive to be better."
Birkland concluded her report by explaining, "He says he knows a lot of his constituents disagree with him and that's okay. Hurd hopes he can still convince enough voters that he's ultimately on their side."
Last year Trump expressed his unequivocal support for Hurd, posting on his Truth Social platform that Hurd is an "'incredible’ lawmaker with ‘a strong Record of SUCCESS,," continuing that "Jeff Hurd has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!"
In February, however, he turned on Hurd because of Hurd's opposition to Trump's tariffs.
“Based on a lack of support … for the unbelievably successful TARIFFS imposed on Foreign Countries and Companies which has made America Richer, Stronger, Bigger, and Better than ever before, I am hereby WITHDRAWING my Endorsement of RINO (Republican In Name Only) Congressman Jeff Hurd, of Colorado’s 3rd District,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, concluding that Hurd “let me and our Country down. He is more interested in protecting Foreign Countries that have been ripping us off for decades than he is the United States of America.”