Republican who voted to impeach Trump warns against GOP ‘recipe for disaster’

Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) on Friday warned his party of leaning into former President Trump’s unproven claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him and creating a “recipe for disaster.”

Gonzalez, who was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the deadly Jan. 6 riot, made his comments during a virtual forum, according to NBC News.

“I think as a party, frankly, we need to be on the side of truth, we need to be on the side of substance, and that’s how we’re going to win back majorities both in the House and the Senate and hopefully the White House in 2024,” he told the City Club of Cleveland.

“I think continuing to perpetuate falsehoods, especially ones that are dangerous that led to the violence on Jan. 6, is a recipe for disaster for the party, but it’s also horribly irresponsible,” he added.

The congressman and former NFL player also joined 34 other House Republicans this week in voting to pass a bill that would establish a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The bill passed a 252-175 vote.

During the Friday forum, Gonzalez was pressed by City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop on how the Republican party could survive while obliged to Trump.

He responded by stating that his party is in a “sort of baffling” position.

“The reality inside our party is people do feel differently about President Trump,” Gonzalez said. “If we’re going to win elections going forward, there has to be room for both. If we’re going to excommunicate people who feel differently than we [do] on one side or the other of that debate, then I think it’s a losing strategy for our party.”

Earlier this month, the Ohio Republican Party’s central committee voted to censure Gonzalez and called for his resignation over his vote to impeach Trump.

Former Trump aide Max Miller said at the time that the party “has rightly voted to hold Anthony Gonzalez accountable for abandoning his constituents, his promises and the Republican Party.”

“Regardless if he resigns or not we are going to continue spreading our strong, pro-Trump, America First message to every corner of this district,” Miller added.