McConnell complained to WH about pro-Trump group’s attack on GOP senator: report

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) reportedly complained to the White House that a pro-President Trump group’s ads attacking a GOP senator for opposing the Senate’s ObamaCare repeal plan are “beyond stupid.”

McConnell slammed America First Policies for running a campaign against Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) in a Saturday phone call with White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

The group launched a seven-figure ad buy against Heller on Friday, hours after the Nevada Republican said he would not support the Senate GOP’s bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

{mosads}McConnell reportedly told Priebus that the ad campaign would hurt the bill’s chances of passing, as well as Heller’s reelection chances.

Heller is considered among the most vulnerable Republican senators in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections. A poll released Tuesday by a left-leaning group found that he trails Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), a possible opponent, by 1 point and that voters are less likely to support him if he backs the GOP healthcare plan.

Former top McConnell aide Josh Holmes told the Times: “That the White House is asking people to take a tough vote and then running ads against members while we’re still in negotiations is so dumb it’s amazing we even have to have the conversation.”

The group reportedly got a go-ahead to run the ads from Trump officials who were infuriated by Heller’s decision, according to the Times.