Washington Free Beacon editor in chief Matthew Continetti said Wednesday that Republicans can't rely on tax reform if they are going to satisfy the coalition of voters who elected President Donald Trump.
Continetti joined MSNBC's "Meet the Press Daily" panel and discussed what could motivate Trump's voters to mobilize for Republicans in the 2018 elections.
Host Chuck Todd asked Continetti about Rep. Tom Cole (R., Okla.), who argued in a previous segment that Republicans need to stick to their agenda and pass tax reform. Continetti took the opposite view, saying that Trump's voters need to see Republicans delivering on Trump's agenda items, such as a border wall.
"[Cole] is the voice of conventional Republicanism. I actually take the opposite view," Continetti said. "If you want the Trump voters to show up next year, you have to give them something that Trump is delivering on. You need to show the wall is being built."
"You’re saying tax reform ain’t cutting it?" Todd asked.
"Tax reform will not cut it for the Trump coalition," Continetti replied.
Continetti also said it is possible that tax reform could hurt the Trump administration because it "might raise taxes slightly on those suburban voters who are now trending Democratic."
Some on the panel questioned whether Trump even cares about Republicans winning in 2018. Continetti disagreed that Trump does not have an interest in GOP midterm victories.
"If [investigations] spill over to the Senate and there are pickups in the Senate, then that affects judges and appointments," Continetti said. "So there is a real risk for Trump if he loses these midterms."