“I’m going to vote for Trump, but I do not want to be associated with his unstudied remarks,” Fortenberry said.

Fortenberry said Trump has an appealing magnetism and an ability to frame issues on a grand scale.

“Unfortunately, somebody needs to take the Twitter account away from him because these unstudied, blustery remarks push people away unnecessarily,” he said. “They’re just impulsive, reactionary remarks and are offensive to many people.”

King and Fortenberry agreed that one of Trump’s strongest arguments is his pledge to appoint the right kind of individuals to the Supreme Court.

Reps. Adrian Smith of Nebraska and David Young of Iowa both skipped the meeting, citing other commitments.

Senate Republicans range from those who are outright opposed to Trump’s campaign to enthusiastic supporters. For example, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has been tapped to speak in Cleveland and received buzz as a potential running mate.

The Senate meeting grew combative as Trump reportedly admonished three senators — including Sasse — who have been critical of his candidacy, according to the Washington Post. Trump predicted they would lose their re-election bids, the Post reported, quoting two unnamed Republican officials.