'Give me a break': Panel shuts down Scott Jenning's cringe pivot

Republican strategist Scott Jennings (who may be in line for a job at the White House) is working hard to answer for the antics of President Donald Trump and his sinking popularity, and not every response is a winner.

Jennings attempt to divert attention from Republicans’ encroaching Senate disaster in Texas, for example, was a clumsy counter that did not go well on CNN “the Arena” with Kasie Hunt and panelists.

“[Republican Senate candidate] Ken Paxton is a bad candidate. Not only does he have flaws, he's not raising money. That state is a state where Republicans should be going gangbusters with raising money,” said DNC former communications director Xochitl Hinjosa. “That is a state where there are unlimited contributions on the gubernatorial side and on the Senate side, you have a whole array of Republican donors, including Elon Musk, who are willing to put in money into that state. But Republicans are genuinely frustrated. They're also frustrated with the fact that these attacks on [Democratic candidate] James Talarico have not been working. Poll after poll after poll shows him ahead or the race essentially tied.”

Confronted with the truth of failing polls in an unexpected red state, Jennings did what he does best: pivot to Democrats.

“Nobody around here seems to want to talk about the fact that [U.S. Rep.] Jasmine Crockett (R-Texas) does nothing for James Talarico, has been attacking the Democratic Party after that very divisive primary. I even saw the other day, she was talking like maybe she's not even a Democrat anymore,” said Jennings, claiming he suspected Talarico would have “problems on his left flank” and “problems with African American voters” in Texas.

“So we spent a lot of time around here talking about Republican issues. The Democrats internally have issues in Texas and Michigan, and if they lose those two states, the path to a senate would be difficult.”

“Jasmine Crockett will vote for Talarico and down ballot,” barked Hinjosa back at him.

“How do you know she will,” Challenged Scott.

“Because I’m friends with her. I know she will.”

“Why is she crapping on him?” pressed Jennings, getting testy.

“She's not going to vote for Ken Paxton. Give me a break,” Hinjosa snapped.

Presidential historian Leah Wright Rigueur, an associate professor of History at John Hopkins University, agreed that Democrats have some fractions, but said Republicans and Trump are “falling into the same trap that Democrats actually faced in 2022 and 2024, which is we have a lot of great ideas, but we're not actually acting on them.”

She added that 71 percent of voters say that they disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, including 40 percent of Republicans.

“This is why everything is in play right now,” Rigueur added.

“I feel bad,” insisted Jennings in response. “I feel bad for Jasmine Crockett that they did that. That liberal, white male socialist did her dirty in Texas. If I were — if I were her, I’d have to—"

At that point the panel erupted in crosstalk with Hunt saying “lets stick with the theme of having their own challenges,” before moving quickly to the issue of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

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