Joe Walsh to Back ‘Any Democrat’ Over Trump After Ending GOP Bid

(Bloomberg) -- Joe Walsh, the former Tea Party congressman form Illinois, has ended his long-shot Republican primary challenge to President Donald Trump, saying he will work to support “any Democrat” -- even Bernie Sanders.

“Any Democrat would be better than Trump in the White House,” Walsh told CNN on Friday morning. “I would rather have a socialist in the White House than a dictator or a king.”

Walsh, who hosted a conservative radio program, formerly supported Trump but decided to challenge him for the Republican nomination last summer calling the president “unfit.” After Trump received 97% of the vote in the Iowa caucuses this week, and Walsh was unable to get any attention on Fox News and other conservative media outlets, Walsh decided to end his campaign -- but not his attempt to replace Trump.

Walsh called Trump “the greatest threat to this country right now.”

“He can’t be stopped within the Republican party,” he said, adding, “It’s not a party. It’s a cult.”

Walsh said many Republicans have left the party because of Trump, and he urged them to pay attention to the field of Democrats, particularly the moderate candidates, but said he would support any nominee Democrats choose.

To contact the reporter on this story: Elizabeth Wasserman in Washington at ewasserman2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Elizabeth Wasserman at ewasserman2@bloomberg.net, Kathleen Hunter

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