Donald Trump has many critics inside and out of the Republican Party. His critics within his party have included Speaker Paul Ryan, Senator Mitt Romney, and the late Senator John McCain. But still, many Republican members of Congress have chosen not to criticize the president publicly. Even despite various reports that it's a very different story in private.
But Trump's recent pulling US military support of the Kurds, and the aftermath, has caused near-universal outrage. Even some of Trump's most steadfast defenders have slammed the decision. It's unclear how many of them have chosen not to support the president for re-election anymore.
But apparently there's at least one.
Shimkus formally withdraws his support
John Shimkus has been a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1997. He has frequently been an ally of the Trump administration. Including during the Mueller investigation and more recently, when the scandal over Ukraine emerged.
But apparently the move to leave the Kurds behind is a bridge too far. Politico reports that Shimkus requested his name be removed from the Trump re-election campaign's list of supporters. Shimkus hasn't said if he's throwing support behind any of Trump's challengers in the Republican presidential primary. The field of challengers currently stands at three. Former Governor Bill Weld, former US Representative Joe Walsh, and former Governor and US Representative Mark Sanford.
According to KMOX, Shimkus calls the move 'terrible and despicable.' He has also said he's 'saddened,' 'heartbroken' and 'embarrassed.' Shimkus also seems to be showing something of a break over Ukraine, saying that he's troubled by the reports.
Shimkus is a long-time veteran of the U.S. Army. He graduated from West Point and served for nearly 30 years, between Active and Reserve status.
An Army Ranger, he retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Has been in politics for 30 years
Shimkus was elected a trustee of Collinsville Township, Illinois, in 1989. Soon after, he was elected treasurer of Madison County, Illinois.
He first ran for Congress in 1992. Shimkus lost that year to the Democratic incumbent, Dick Durbin.
Durbin has since moved onto the Senate and is the current Senate minority whip. Shimkus later won the seat in 1996. He initially represented the 20th District of Illinois. The area has been re-districted twice, becoming the 19th District and now the 15th District.
The district is a vast one, covering much of the Illinois borders with Indiana and Kentucky. It also extends through part of central Illinois over to suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, where Shimkus hails from.
