Utah Rep. Mia Love, the only black Republican woman in Congress, slammed President Donald Trump after losing a close race in the state’s 4th US House District Monday.
Love conceded to Democrat Ben McAdams and used her speech to slam Trump after he singled her out for mockery following the Republican Party’s massive loss in the House.
"Mia Love gave me no love and she lost," Trump said the day after the election. "Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia."
In a speech in Salt Lake City, Love slammed Trump’s comments.
"The President's behavior towards me made me wonder: What did he have to gain by saying such a thing about a fellow Republican," she said. "It was not really about asking him to do more, was it? Or was it something else? Well Mr. President, we'll have to chat about that."
"However, this gave me a clear vision of his world as it is. No real relationships, just convenient transactions. That is an insufficient way to implement sincere service and policy,” she added.
Love went on to criticize Republicans in Washington for their “transactional” nature with minorities and women.
"This election experience and these comments shines a spotlight on the problems Washington politicians have with minorities and black Americans -- it's transactional, it's not personal," she said. "You see, we feel like politicians claim they know what's best for us from a safe distance, yet they're never willing to take us home. Because Republicans never take minority communities into their home and citizens into their homes and into their hearts, they stay with Democrats and bureaucrats in Washington because they do take them home -- or at least make them feel like they have a home."
Fellow GOPer slams Trump:
Retiring Rep. Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania also took issue with Trump mocking Love and other Republicans for losing because they didn’t support him “enough.”
“To deal w harassment & filth spewed at GOP [members of Congress] in tough seats every day for 2 yrs, bc of POTUS; to bite ur lip more times you’d care to; to disagree & separate from POTUS on principle & civility in ur campaign; to lose bc of POTUS & have him piss on u. Angers me to my core,” he tweeted.
Republicans attack Love:
“One of the SORRIEST concession speeches I’ve ever heard,” wrote former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. “She BLAMED everyone but herself. VOTERS SHOWED HER THE DOOR. Surprised she didn’t blame me for good measure, or racism like Democrat Stacy Abrams of Georgia. @realDonaldTrump is right. She’s a LOSER.”
Democrats head for 40-seat pickup:
With Love going down in Utah, Democrats have now flipped 39 seats in the midterms, compared to 27 on election night. As mail-in ballots continue to be counted, Democrat T.J. Cox has taken the lead over Republican David Valadao in California’s 21st District. If that lead holds up, Democrats will have flipped 40 seats. Democrats have already won the House by the largest margin of any party in history.
