Republican senators are growing optimistic they will be able to deliver a bipartisan acquittal of President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial, The Hill reported.
The Republican lawmakers think they will be able to get as many as two Democrats to join them in voting for Trump's acquittal on both impeachment articles, according to The Hill. If so, they will be able to publicly present the vote as a bipartisan acquittal.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would not be surprised if "we got one or two Democrats who will vote to acquit Trump of the two charges."
"My hope is that there will be no single Republican who votes for either of these articles of impeachment," McConnell added.
Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., declined to say which Democrats he believes could flip.
"I think we might have a couple," he said. "I don't want to speculate on who — obviously that puts too much pressure on them — but I really think we have people on both sides that are trying to get to a reasonable, nonpartisan answer."
Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., admitted: "I have been trying to see if the dots get connected. If that is the case, I think it's a serious matter. I think it's an impeachable matter. But if those dots aren't connected and there are other explanations that I think are consistent with innocence, I will go that way too."
And Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has described himself as "very much torn" on impeachment.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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