Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued stinging criticism today of the state of the Republican Party following Donald Trump's ascension to the top the of GOP ticket.
Reid called the GOP a "hollowed out shell of its former self" and ripe for Trump's takeover during a spirited, half-hour conference call with reporters on Thursday.
"By nominating Trump, I guess it's a natural evolution for party that's spent eight years on defining itself on what it's against — anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-Obama and anti-working people."
Reid's attack comes amid a two-month battle to get GOP senators to hold confirmation hearings for Merrick Garland, President Obama's pick to fill the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Nevada's senior senator, who'll be retiring at the end of his term this year, says he does not believe his Republican colleagues, especially those facing re-election, will be able to sustain their blockade.
"Even they're going to say, "Hey, Mitch [McConnell], I've had enough of this. Let's have a vote and get this over with.'"
He also expressed disbelief that Nevada's Gov. Brian Sandoval, a moderate, issued a statement in support of Trump this week after John Kasich ended his presidential bid.
"Is endorsing Trump going to help him or any of the candidates this time who are Republicans? The obvious answer is no. Not only no, but hell no."
According to Reid, Sandoval could've simply selected the "none of the above" option unique to Nevada's presidential ballot.
[Listen to Sen. Harry Reid's full answer to our reporter's question.]
