Former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Illinois) was in Texas on Friday at the 2019 Texas Tribune Festival, casting himself as the alternative for Republicans dissatisfied with the performance of President Trump.

Walsh speaks to the crowd at the 2019 Texas Tribune Festival/Photo by Tom Warren

In his remarks, Walsh cast himself as the top alternative for Republicans looking for a new pick, saying that regardless of whether he wins or loses, he believes that a vote for his candidacy would send a message to Trump. Walsh also took on the top issue of the weekend - impeachment - saying he believes that Trump “deserves” to be impeached.

“If Donald Trump doesn’t serve to be impeached then I don’t know what American president has deserved to,” Walsh said.

Walsh also responded to critics saying that he has been too divisive in his political career to be considered a viable candidate for president, countering that he is working to separate his policy disagreements from personal attacks.

“I helped create Donald Trump,” Walsh said. “I really did and I’m not proud of it…but there were several times over the last few years where I let my policy disagreements get personal and ugly and I’ve been apologizing for that.”

Walsh is running against Trump in the 2020 Republican presidential primary, along with fellow challengers Bill Weld, a former governor of Massachusetts, and Mark Sanford, a former governor of South Carolina. For additional details, please visit joewalsh.org.