Vulnerable GOP senators praise Kaine

A vocal opponent of Donald Trump and vulnerable Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake praised Hillary Clinton’s VP pick on Friday night. 

“Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine. Drawing a blank,” Flake tweeted, adding that Kaine was a “good friend.” 

Trying to count the ways I hate @timkaine. Drawing a blank. Congrats to a good man and a good friend.

— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) July 23, 2016

Clinton’s official account retweeted Flake’s post.

Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, another vulnerable Republican, also sent out a statement lauding Kaine.

“While Hillary Clinton would be a disaster as president, I have high regard and respect for Tim Kaine,” Toomey said. 

Woah. Vulnerable Pennsylvania Republican Senator Pat Toomey is praising Kaine (while ripping on Hillary) pic.twitter.com/iGKYwhfKQp

— Matt Laslo (@MattLaslo) July 23, 2016

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was among the crowded field of Republican candidates for president, tweeted that he found Kaine and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence  “more palatable” than their presidential nominee counterparts, Clinton and Trump.

I find the VP candidates — Governor Mike Pence and Senator Tim Kaine — more palatable than the presidential nominees.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 23, 2016

The Republican National Committee quickly blasted the ticket, although Chairman Reince Priebus didn’t aim any attacks specifically at Kaine other than to say he “holds positions that she’s spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of.”

“A Clinton-Kaine administration will push our country further down the path President Obama has led us on and that has made us less safe, less prosperous, and less free. More taxes, more debt, more government and more leading from behind on the global stage will not deliver the turnaround our country desperately needs. Americans have had enough of the failed Democrat status quo,” Priebus said.