Republican Rep. Lawler dodges pledge of allegiance to Trump: 'I pledge my allegiance to my constituents'
At the Republican midterm convention in Dallas last week, President Donald Trump asked the crowd to raise their right hands and pledge allegiance "to the greatest president in the history of the United States."
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler on Sunday sidestepped a question on whether he would pledge allegiance to Trump, telling George Stephanopoulos on "This Week," "I pledge my allegiance to my constituents, which I always have."
Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th District, is up for reelection in November. His opponent is Democrat Cait Conley, an Army veteran.
Recent polling has suggested that Republicans might be on shaky footing this midterm election cycle for the House of Representatives. A Quinnipiac University National Poll published on Thursday pointed to voters favoring Democrats over Republicans to control the U.S. House of Representatives by 11 points.
Speaking at the GOP convention, Lawler said he has been trying to reach Democratic and independent voters in his district, which voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024.
"The truth is that the president and I don't always agree," Lawler said in Dallas. "And that's OK."
Since the convention, Trump has received mixed reactions from Republicans over his promise to hand out $5,000 dividends to American adults if his party wins in November.
When asked whether he would support the dividend proposal on "This Week," Lawler did not voice opposition.
Instead, Lawler questioned where the money would come from and how legislation might be passed for the dividend to reach Americans.
"I support putting money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans," he said. "The question is, how do you pay for it?"
On Thursday, after Trump announced the dividend proposal, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated that the proposal would cost over $1.2 trillion. The cost for the federal government with these dividends, the Committee reported, would be higher than the combined cost of all three COVID-era stimulus payments.
Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have voiced concern and criticism about the proposed dividends. Schumer said it was an attempt by Trump to "bribe the American people for their votes."
Even Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Maine Sen. Susan Collins are skeptical. Collins called the proposal "extraordinarily costly" and denounced what she suggested was a politically motivated proposal.
"Tax and spending decisions should be made based on the needs of the American people and the state of the economy, they should not appear to be tied to election results," Collins said.
