GOP 2024 Candidate Targets Trump, Angry Iowa Crowd Doesn't Let Him Get Away with It
Will Hurd, a former Texas Congressman and candidate for the 2024 presidential race, got a clear message from conservatives on Friday.
Donald Trump is off-limits.
The former CIA officer was booed off the stage during his speech at the Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa when he attempted to go after Trump.
“One of the things we need in our elected leaders is for them to speak the truth, even if it’s unpopular,” Hurd said during his speech. “Donald Trump is not running for president to make America great again. Donald Trump is not running for president to represent the people that voted for him in 2016 and 2020. Donald Trump is running to stay out of prison,” he said.
The crowd immediately erupted into boos causing Hurd to attempt to “reason” with them.
“I know, I know, I know, I know, I know. Listen, I know the truth – the truth is hard,” he said as the booing and yelling increased. “But if we elect Donald Trump, we are willingly giving Joe Biden four more years in the White House and America can’t handle that.”
“God bless you and God bless America,” Hurd said, exiting the stage.
Wow! Attendees at the Iowa GOP Lincoln Dinner BOOED Will Hurd off the stage after slandering President Donald J. Trump, walks away in SHAME!👇
Iowa is TRUMP COUNTRY! pic.twitter.com/wk2lj7ZsDh
— Joel Valdez (@realJoelValdez) July 29, 2023
According to the New York Times, Hurd has been a vocal critic of Trump.
In a 2018 Op-Ed for the New York Times, Hurd wrote of Trump, “Over the course of my career as an undercover officer in the C.I.A., I saw Russian intelligence manipulate many people. I never thought I would see the day when an American president would be one of them.”
Hurd also described Trump’s proposed border wall as a “third-century solution to a 21st-century problem.”
He called the separation of migrant children from their parents “unacceptable,” and said that Trump’s ban on travelers from a list of majority-Muslim countries “endangers the lives of thousands of American men and women in our military, diplomatic corps and intelligence services,” according to the New York Times.
Twitter (which this week was rebranded “X”) was just as, if not more, vicious to the presidential hopeful.
One user tweeted, “Sorry Will Hurd you’re wrong! The Truth is, we need Trump to Save America. It’s obvious … you can’t handle that simple Truth!”
Sorry Will Hurd you’re wrong!
The Truth is, we need Trump to Save America. 🇺🇸
It’s obvious … you can’t handle that simple Truth! pic.twitter.com/mfAnbFuCvj
— Gary D (@KMGGaryde) July 29, 2023
Another referred to Hurd’s speech as “Political suicide.”
And I was one of the people booing Will Hurd off the stage from the front row! And he was LITERALLY booed off stage! 🥲
Political suicide!!! Iowa is Trump country! https://t.co/ZcN9v6iQIZ pic.twitter.com/aQLwJstyKi
— Andrea Catsimatidis (@AJ_Cats_) July 29, 2023
Texas Congressman Ronny Jackson tweeted, “Liberal Will Hurd is an EMBARRASSMENT to the Republican Party and to the GREAT state of Texas! He’s not a Republican, and he deserves to be booed off of EVERY stage he steps on. Give it up Will! NOBODY wants to hear what you’re saying!”
Liberal Will Hurd is an EMBARRASSMENT to the Republican Party and to the GREAT state of Texas! He’s not a Republican, and he deserves to be booed off of EVERY stage he steps on. Give it up Will! NOBODY wants to hear what you’re saying! pic.twitter.com/6x3qDqGeVG
— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) July 29, 2023
Hurd, however, isn’t backing down.
On Saturday, he posted a graphic with his Lincoln Day speech comment on it, attempting to use the negative coverage to help in fundraising.”I’m going, to tell the truth … even if it’s uncomfortable to some in my own Party. Help me say what needs to be said on the debate stage by contributing $1,” Hurd wrote in the accompanying post.
I’m going to tell the truth… even if it’s uncomfortable to some in my own Party.
Help me say what needs to be said on the debate stage by contributing $1.
Link: https://t.co/tMMYO5wtG1 pic.twitter.com/SrMmfkP2ql
— Will Hurd (@WillHurd) July 29, 2023
So far, Hurd has not met the fundraising and polling requirements to qualify for the debate, according to Fox News.
He may be looking to ride this political shockvertising to raise a few bucks in order to get into the debate.
But it is evident that his days as a candidate are essentially over.
In a field this crowded and with a clear front-runner, you don’t get second chances.
The media attention from his comment finally allowed him to break through the noise of the crowd and explain his point of view to conservative voters.
Unfortunately for him, everyone hated it.
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