Republican strategist Karl Rove said threats followed his pledge to vote for Democrat John Rosenthal. He said the Texas Department of Public Safety parked outside his home for a week over what he called “credible threats,” but he was not told their details.
Rove said the threats encouraged him to write a Wall Street Journal column formally declaring he would vote against Republican Bo French. French had faced criticism over an apparent racist post and doubled down on it.
President Donald Trump attacked Rove on social media over his decision, calling him a “stone cold loser” and a “RINO.” Rove rejected the label and criticized party members who, he said, had not done the work of building the Republican Party.
