Renee Elmers knocks Hillary Clinton debate prep: What woman has that much time?

Rep. Renee Elmers, North Carolina Republican, said it’s curious how much time Hillary Clinton spent off the public campaign trail preparing for Wednesday’s debate and asked what woman in the country has that much time for anything when they’re balancing so much.

“You know, it’s interesting — Hillary Clinton was MIA for over five days getting ready for this debate,” Ms. Elmers said Thursday on CNN’s “New Day.”

“Now here’s the thing: What woman in this country has five days to prepare for anything? We’re balancing our lives with work, children — every issue,” she said.

“Donald Trump was on the campaign trail up to almost [the] exact moment before that took place. Why? Because he’s a worker,” Ms. Elmers said. “He’s not a talker.”

“The first thing that went through my head when I knew how much time she was taking was what woman in this country has that much time to set aside and prepare for something like this when we are balancing so much?” she said. “That is why women in this country need to elect Donald Trump as president.”

Ms. Elmers lost in a GOP primary in June after being endorsed by Mr. Trump, though redistricting also left her with many new constituents.

Mr. Trump’s declaration Wednesday that he would not automatically accept the results of the election if he loses dominated the post-debate coverage, but Ms. Elmers said it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“I think a lot more is being made of this than really needs to be,” she said. “He simply said I’m not going to say anything until the time.”

She said there are “so many” people coming out to vote who might not have voted in years, if ever.

“If we start to paint a picture that Donald Trump is somehow going to concede this election — which I believe wholeheartedly he should not, because he’s going to win — then we are going to tell those people what they [have] believed all along, which is that their vote does not matter,” Ms. Elmers said. “Every vote counts.”