Some Republicans are satisfied with presidential candidate Donald Trump’s performance in Monday’s debate, including Mid-Missouri Republican Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer.
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Missouri)
“If you look at the pretty big polls, the people didn’t think he would win,” says Luetkemeyer. “They had a very low bar for him to try and get to. They thought that Hillary would wax him. I didn’t think that happened.”
Trump criticized Democrat Hillary Clinton switching her position about the Trans-Pacific Partnership. TPP is a twelve-nation agreement that would reduce or eliminate tariffs on many goods and services.
Luetkemeyer says Trump is right to push law and order. Monday’s debate included discussion about police and race relations.
“When you have police who are now targets for different groups out here and law enforcement is starting to break down in this country in some areas and some cities, it’s a really big deal. I think she (Clinton) dropped the ball on that question and he hit a home run with it,” says Luetkemeyer.
Trump discussed during the debate that the use of a stop-and-frisk policy by law enforcement and says that it helped to bring “the crime rate way down” in New York.
Clinton said issues between law enforcement and the community must be addressed.
Some analysts say Trump started off strong discussing trade issues, but Clinton overwhelmingly won the debate by excelling when speaking about race, gender and foreign policy issues.
Luetkemeyer’s district also includes parts of eastern Missouri.