Rand Paul on Senate trial: 'I don’t think any Republicans are going to vote for impeachment'

WASHINGTON – GOP Sen. Rand Paul said Thursday that he believes no Republican senators will vote to convict and remove President Donald Trump.

Speaking to The Hill in an interview, the Kentucky senator said, “I really think the verdict has already been decided as well. I don’t think any Republicans are going to vote for impeachment.”

The House voted last month to impeach Trump.

It takes at least two-thirds of the Senate, or 67 votes, to convict Trump on the two charges filed by the House – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress – and remove him from office. For that to happen, at least 20 Republicans would need to join the Democrats and independents.

“I think the votes have been decided. As much as anybody will be pretending to be judicious about this, I don’t think that there’s one senator who hasn’t decided how they’re going to vote,” Paul said.

Paul's interview comes on the same day the Senate swore in Chief Justice John Roberts to preside over the impeachment trial.

Related: After saying 'I'm not an impartial juror,' McConnell pledges impartiality

Senators also took a constitutionally required oath "to do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws" in the impeachment trial of Trump over his attempts to get Ukraine to publicly investigate political rival Joe Biden.

According to The Hill, Paul also warned that Republicans voting to impeach Trump would end their political career.

“I think if you’re pretty much no longer interested in running for office, or no longer interested in getting Republican votes, you might vote to impeach the president,” Paul said. “This isn’t just a policy difference.”

He continued, “When it comes to whether or not you’re going to impeach a president of your own party, particularly over a policy difference or whether or not he has lack of decorum or whatever, I think that’s something that a lot of voters will not excuse.”

Every Republican in the House voted against both articles. The House’s lone independent, former Republican Justin Amash of Michigan, voted with Democrats to impeach Trump on both charges.

See also: Louisville protesters tell McConnell to be impartial in impeachment trial

Contributing: Ledyard King, Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY.