Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said on Monday that he’d ‘love’ to run against Donald Trump in a Republican presidential primary even if he was ‘crushed’ in the race.
Kinzinger, one of the former president’s loudest critics in Congress, announced last year that he would retire from the House of Representatives at the end of his current term.
As for his political future, the Illinois Republican and Air Force Veteran told HuffPost that it would be ‘fun’ to call Trump’s ‘garbage’ out in a campaign — but gave no inclination that he’s putting his hat in the ring for 2024.
‘I would love it. I really would,’ he said of running against the ex-leader.
‘Even if he crushed me, like in a primary, to be able to stand up and call out the garbage is just a necessary thing, regardless of who it is.’
He added, ‘I think it’d be fun.’
The interview notes that Kinzinger is aware that even running for state office would be difficult, with candidacies for governor or Senate being long shots after he was censured by the Illinois Republican Party for helping Democrats investigate Trump’s ties to the January 6 Capitol riot.
As for running for the White House, the military veteran said: ‘I’ll make a decision when we get there if there’s a need and desire.’
‘It’s truly not anything I’m planning right now, but I’m not going to rule it out,’ Kinzinger explained.
Kinzinger (center) is one of two Republicans on the House Select Committee Investigating the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol. The other is the panel’s vice chair, Rep. Liz Cheney (right). Both were censured by the Republican National Committee for their work
‘Look, if we’re in a position, if it’s just terrible candidates and the country’s in a worse place? Maybe. But there’s no grand plan right now.’
Trump is widely seen as the favorite for the GOP nomination in the next presidential cycle, though he has not formally declared his candidacy. He has, however, dropped numerous hints that supporters will be ‘very happy’ with his decision.
Kinzinger would face an uphill battle against the ex-president, who polls double-digits above any potential opponent in multiple surveys of likely GOP voters.
The next-most popular would-be candidate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is also closely tied to Trump.
On Monday Kinzinger also confessed to being happy to leave Congress — at least for now.
‘I’m exhausted of the same arguments, the same kind of performative politics,’ he said.
Kinzinger said he’d love to face the former president in a GOP primary even if he was ‘crushed’
‘I don’t know. Maybe I would have run for governor. Maybe I would have run for Senate. Who knows? But yeah, my time in the House is, mercifully, coming to an end.’
Kinzinger is one of two Republicans on the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the US Capitol, the other being the panel’s vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).
The committee has said it plans to hold explosive public hearings soon, that will likely involve testimony about Trump’s ties to the insurrection.
Both Cheney and Kinzinger’s political careers have suffered a beating for their work on the Democrat-led committee, and by extension their criticism of Trump.
The pair was censured by the Republican National Committee earlier this year, a highly unusual move against two sitting members of Congress.
When Kinzinger announced his retirement in October, Trump celebrated via a statement from his Save America PAC.
‘2 down, 8 to go,’ the ex-president gloated, referencing the 10 House Republicans who voted for his impeachment after the Capitol riot.
A total of four lawmakers from that group have so far announced their retirements. Cheney is currently facing a Trump-backed primary challenge who also has the support of GOP leadership in the House.
Kinzinger would have faced a tricky re-election battle himself if he chose to stay in office. Illinois’ newly redrawn district map gives the state one less seat in Congress.
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