How to run against Trump? GOP considers lessons from 2016

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I think most politicians are not used to playing the game in such a pugilistic fashion as Trump and not as good at it,” said Jason Roe, a Michigan-based Republican political strategist. He has mostly taken a softer approach with Trump despite having to flee to safety as Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 and some in the crowd chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!” Pence, who is now considering his own presidential campaign, has made limited criticism of Trump and reserved his sharpest comments for an untelevised speech in Washington to politicians and journalists. Speaking last month at the white-tie Gridiron Dinner, Pence said Trump was “wrong” on Jan. 6 and his “reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol.” But on Thursday and Friday, after news of Trump's indictment broke, Pence repeatedly called the case an outrage. If there's one lesson from 2016, it's that Trump's Republican rivals can “get so preoccupied with trying to trade blows him that they don’t realize that they’re taking mortal punches,” Roe said.