Joe Walsh urges Republicans to ‘say publicly what you think privately’ about Trump

Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), the one-term congressman and radio host who has launched a primary challenge to President Trump, urged Republicans to express publicly what they say in private about Trump. 

“I’ve been in conservative talk radio for the last five years, and the people I talk to generally privately tell me ‘I can’t stand him, but Joe, the Democrats are socialists’ or ‘I can’t stand him Joe, but I like my tax cuts,'” Walsh said in a CNN interview on Monday. 

{mosads}”The bet I’m making with this campaign and our slogan is be brave, which is come on out. Say publicly what you believe privately,” he added.

Walsh also said he believes he can defeat Trump. 

“I’m doing this to win,” he said.”Who in their right mind … would take this on … if they didn’t think they could win?”

Polling has consistently shown strong Republican support for the president. 

Walsh announced Sunday that he was running against Trump as a Republican. He is the second person to challenge Trump in the primaries: former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld (R) joined the race earlier this year.