Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, one of 10 Republicans who voted for former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment following January 6, says he wishes those in the former administration now speaking out would have come forward sooner.
“Where were they a year and a half ago when 10 of us voted our conscience,” Upton said in an interview with Meet the Press Now, “They should have helped us.”
Upton is among four other representatives who voted for Trump’s impeachment not seeking re-election. Tom Rice, a Republican representative from South Carolina who also voted to impeach, recently joined the exit list after losing his primary last month.
Upton acknowledges the former president’s endorsement has weight across upcoming elections in battleground states like Pennsylvania and his home state of Michigan but is hesitant to say it will get them across the finish line in a general election.
“Whoever gets Trump’s endorsement is probably going to be the nominee come August 2nd,” Upton said, “who can best attract his support to win the primary? And then we’ll see if they move more to the middle against Gretchen Whitmer.”
Upton says he doesn't regret his vote and cited his redistricted seat as one of the main reasons for choosing not to seek re-election.
“Our district was chopped up into a sandwich a couple of different ways and made it really impossible for me to run,” Upton said, “but at the end of the day, none of us would have changed the vote that we cast.”
