Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst offered some advice for her party’s standard-bearer Saturday, telling Donald Trump he should focus on hitting Hillary Clinton and discussing policy, “not name calling.”
“If I have an opportunity I would tell him to just focus, focus on policy,” Ernst told CNN.
Ernst was speaking at the “Roast & Ride” event in Des Moines, Iowa, that she hosted. Trump later addressed the audience; he did not address Ernst’s remarks.
“Hillary Clinton has given us so much to talk about really in the email scandal and her policies overseas. Really, she has a record of failure. Let’s talk about that record of failure. We can focus on issues, not name-calling,” Ernst said.
Ernst’s comments to CNN echo ones she made Friday night to The Washington Post, where she said both candidates should veer away from the personal attacks.
“I don’t like it when campaigns go that direction. I’d say to both of them, back down. And let’s really talk about the policies and the issues. That’s my advice to them,” Ernst was quoted in The Post.
Ernst’s comments come after Trump was criticized for calling Clinton a “bigot” at a campaign rally, and repeatedly refused to back down from the claims.
“That is not acceptable to be doing the name-calling back and forth,” Ernst said. “We need to focus on the issues. He has given voice to millions of American and there’s something there. Americans feel that their voice is not being heard and he has really given her a platform, let’s focus on the failures of Hillary Clinton,” Ernst told CNN.