LITTLE ROCK - Former U.S. Attorney and candidate for the U.S. Senate, Conner Eldridge today released a statement responding to Donald Trump's recent remarks of praise for Russian President and known dictator Vladimir Putin. Eldridge also criticized his opponent, Sen. Boozman, who supports Mr. Trump for President, for his continued silence in the face of Trump's continually-startling rhetoric, especially with regard to foreign policy. Paul Ryan, Lindsey Graham, Jeb Bush and many other leaders in the Republican Party have criticized many of Trump's foreign policy statements throughout the campaign. When asked about Trump's recent praise of Putin, Boozman replied, "I don't have a comment."*
Statement from Conner Eldridge:
"No comment? It's the job of a U.S. Senator to comment. Here's mine: Trump's assertion is outlandish, wrong, and irresponsible. He reinforces, at every turn, that he is not fit to be President and cannot be trusted with the nuclear codes or American foreign policy. Russia has played a major role in continued instability around the world, especially in the Middle East and parts of Europe, with its reckless behavior in both Syria and Ukraine. Their policies and their leader are not to be praised, and doing so is yet another example of Trump's serious lack of judgement and knowledge about foreign policy.
"As a man in Northeast Arkansas, who said he typically votes Republican, told me, 'I don't want my son, who has already been to Afghanistan and Iraq, sent to a needless war created by some comment Trump makes without thinking.' This is also exactly why we need a strong Senator willing to lead -- not an absent Senator who does and says nothing."