Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) speaks in the House as the House of Representatives debates the Articles of Impeachment against then-President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 18, 2019.
Former GOP Rep. Will Hurd says he refuses to lie about his support for former President Donald Trump, even if it risks jeopardizing his ability to take the stage as a GOP presidential candidate during the next primary debate.
“I’m not going to support Donald Trump. I recognize the impact this has on my ability to step onto the debate stage, but I can’t lie,” Hurd told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” on Sunday.
“It would be easy to say, ‘I’m going to do it’, then, when it happens, change your mind. But I… I can’t do that.
Hurd represented Texas’ 23rd congressional district from 2015 to 2021 – the district that includes Uvalde, where the elementary school massacre recently occurred. Hurd was once the only black Republican in the House and has been a vocal critic of Trump since 2016. He said Trump was a “failed politicianand maybe even too old to run for president.
Hurd officially opposed Trump in June in announcing his candidacy for the 2024 presidency. But as a requirement for the first GOP primary debate next month, candidates must pledge support for the eventual GOP nominee, among other requirements.
Former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, along with former President Donald Trump and a number of other GOP hopefuls, are all seeking the top spot in the 2024 presidential election.
“I took an oath, and it’s to protect the Constitution. I take a pledge. That’s when I put my hand on my heart and committed myself to the flag of the United States,” Hurd said sundayadding that he has only recently made one vow, the date of his wedding last year.
Hurd’s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.