A sign promoting the campaign of GOP Senate candidate Todd Rokita is shown along a state highway in Brownsburg, Ind., Tuesday, April 17, 2018. Donald Trump's re-election campaign has issued a rebuke to Rokita, ordering the Republican to take down yard signs that could give a false impression that Rokita is endorsed by the president, two officials with direct knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press. (Associated Press)
President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign reportedly demanded that Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind., take down yard signs for his Senate bid, saying that they give the false impression of endorsement from the president.
The bottom of Rokita’s sign reads: “Endorsed by: TRUMP/PENCE” in bold white letters, and below, in smaller font, it reads: “2016 INDIANA TEAM LEADERS.”
The sign may be referring to two volunteers who led Trump’s bare-bones 2016 campaign in Indiana who endorsed Rokita last week.
The leaders of Trump’s 2016 Indiana campaign, Samuel and Rex Early, said the endorsements were as individuals.
FILE Aug. 9, 2017: Indiana Rep. Todd Rokita speaks during a news conference outside of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. (Associated Press)
“We are not speaking for the president or the White House,” said Samuel.
But Rokita has aggressively touted the endorsement at campaign appearances, a recent debate and in his latest TV ad titled simply “TRUMP.”
Tony Samuel, one of the volunteers who endorsed Rokita, told the AP that the Trump campaign texted him Monday night to voice displeasure over the signage.
The campaign also asked that Rokita’s campaign certify-- in writing-- once the signs have been taken down, another person with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Rokita spokesman Nathan Brand refused to say if the campaign would comply with the Trump campaign’s request.
“We do not comment on yard sign strategy,” Brand said in a statement that reiterated the endorsement by the two volunteers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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