Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus warned presidential candidate Donald Trump that his rhetoric on illegal immigration was jeopardizing the party’s efforts to woo Hispanic voters.
According to multiple news outlets Wednesday night, the RNC chief urged the real-estate tycoon, who has shot to the front rank in polling among the party’s 2016 contenders, to tone down his remarks on immigration during the private phone conversation Wednesday afternoon.
But a Republican source familiar with the call told CNN that Mr. Priebus closed the conversation with “look, I’ve gotta tell you, I spent four years trying to make inroads with the Hispanic community … how we address illegal immigration is very important” to those efforts.
“They had a respectful discussion across a wide range of issues including illegal immigration,” Sean Spicer, an RNC spokesman, told CNN.
The Washington Post first reported the phone call.
Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager, confirmed the call to CNN, saying his boss and the RNC chief spoke Wednesday and do so frequently, but he had few details.
But he added that “there’s no question in my mind that Mr. Trump’s fortitude on [immigration] will be unshaken, whether it’s a phone call from Reince Priebus or whether” other business are cutting ties to him.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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