Oklahoma GOP votes to censure Sen. James Lankford after he defends bipartisan border deal

The Oklahoma Republican Party voted to censure U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R) Saturday after he defended the bipartisan border bill that former President Donald Trump is attempting to stop.

Last week, Lankford defended the bill when he was asked by Fox News host Shannon Bream why Republicans would give Biden a “victory lap” in an election year.

“It is interesting. Republicans four months ago would not give funding for Ukraine, for Israel and for our southern border because we demanded changes in policy,” Lankford said. “So we actually locked arms together and said, ‘We’re not going to give you money for this, we want a change in law.’ And now it’s interesting. A few months later, when we’re finally getting to the end, they’re like, ‘Oh, just kidding I actually don’t want a change in law because it’s a presidential election year.’”

FOX NEWS: Why give Biden this in an election year? He gets to take a victory lap

SEN. JAMES LANKFORD: Republicans 4 months ago would not give funding for Ukraine, Israel, & the border bc we demanded changes in policy… and now a few months later they’re like, “oh, just kidding” pic.twitter.com/tGGuI54onB

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 28, 2024

Lankford has been a main Republican negotiator to hash out a border bill with Democrats, which Lankford contends will implement policies that Trump and Republicans have been attempting to pass for years. However, Trump has urged Republican senators not to work with Democrats on the bill, which he calls a “betrayal of America.”

“They were getting ready to pass a very bad bill and I’ll tell you what, I’d rather have no bill than a bad bill,” Trump said at a rally in Las Vegas over the weekend. “There is zero chance I will support this horrible open-border betrayal of America. It’s not going to happen. And I’ll fight it all the way.”

The border legislation is expected to be ready for the Senate floor in the coming days. It is unclear how much support the bill will have among Senate Republicans after Trump’s efforts. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) has suggested the compromise will be “dead on arrival” when it reaches the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives.