Republican presidential candidate Joe Walsh said Monday he’s challenging President Trump in the 2020 primary because most Americans are “either embarrassed or disgusted” with him.

“It’s like we live in this bizarro world where I think almost every American is either embarrassed or disgusted, Alisyn, with who this guy is personally, President Trump. I mean, you know what I know. He lies. He tweets. I think most people privately are tired of it,” he told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota.

When asked to provide evidence of Mr. Trump’s lack of support despite an 88% approval rating among Republicans, Mr. Walsh said they are supporting the GOP, not Mr. Trump.

“The people I talk to, generally privately, tell me, ‘I can’t stand him, but Joe, the Democrats are socialists’ or ‘I can’t stand him but, Joe, I like my tax cuts’” he said.

“The guy’s tweeting us into a [recession],” Mr. Walsh said. “I could be wrong, the bet I’m making with this campaign and our slogan ‘Be Brave,’ which is, ‘Come on out, say publicly what you believe privately. Follow my lead.’ I think there’s support there.”

Mr. Walsh insisted he’s “doing this to win” and said he’s been waiting “every single day this year” for a Republican “to step up to make the moral case against him.”

“Nobody stepped up,” he said. “And if we don’t, well, the Republican Party’s going to regret it, but the country will be in danger.”

Mr. Walsh, a conservative radio personality and former Congress member, announced his presidential candidacy Sunday, joining former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld in challenging Mr. Trump.

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