Asked if he was trying to have it both ways by simultaneously expressing support and opposition to Donald Trump’s candidacy, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jack Graham had a simple answer: “Yeah. I would like to have it both ways.”
The comments came in a recorded interview for Sunday’s episode of Balance of Power on 9NEWS.
Balance of Power airs every Sunday at 8:50 a.m. on 9NEWS, right before NBC’s Meet the Press. Episodes and extended interviews are posted on Sundays to 9NEWS.com.
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Graham, a former athletic director at Colorado State University who switched his party affiliation to Republican less than two years ago, predicted that Trump would most likely be his newfound party’s nominee.
“I have said I don’t like [Trump’s] behavior. I don’t respect his behavior,” Graham said. “His conversations about Mexicans, about women, about Muslims, have been unacceptable to me.”
From there, the former NFL player turned candidate quickly pivoted to the flipside, calling Trump his “teammate.”
“He and I are on the same team. We’re both members of the Republican party,” Graham said. “Throughout my career, with teammates, I’ve said we’ve got to tell each other the truth. That’s how you make the team better.”
When pressed further by 9NEWS Political Reporter Brandon Rittiman about whether Trump’s behavior fits the nation’s highest office, Graham replied that it hasn’t.
“That’s why I want to see different and I want to see better,” Graham said. “The alternative is not acceptable, either. Hillary Clinton is not acceptable."
Graham characterized Trump as improving in the areas he’s concerned about, referencing Trump’s recent foreign policy speech.
“I do think [Trump has] the capacity to be something different if he in fact is in the White House,” Graham said.
