Former Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania faced criticism from CNBC host Joe Kernen for defending his decision not to support either presidential candidate in November.

The “Squawk Box” host claimed that Toomey was essentially giving a vote to Vice President Kamala Harris because the election was a “binary decision.”

“(Anti-Trump Republicans) give me a list of reasons why Kamala Harris would be the worst thing that could ever happen, but they still won’t vote for Trump. And say something like, ‘Well, it’s not really a vote for Harris, and it’s not really a vote, I just can’t do it,'” Kernen said.

“Because it’s a binary decision. So a vote against Trump is a vote for Harris,” he told Toomey.

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“Squawk Box” host Joe Kernen argued with former Republican Senator Pat Toomey over his decision not to vote for either Harris or Trump in November. (CNBC/Screenshot)

Toomey, who retired at the end of 2022, said he supported Trump in the 2016 and 2020 elections, but the former president lost his support after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. In 2021, he voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial. Toomey did not run for re-election in 2022, and his seat was won that year by Democrat John Fetterman.

“If you lose an election and try to manipulate the outcome to stay in power, you lose me. Then you lose me,” Toomey told Kernen.

“So you prefer Kamala Harris?” Kernen asked as the two talked at the same time.

“I recognize that the outcome is a binary situation, but it is not my choice. OK? I have a choice, and you and I are simply going to disagree on this,” Toomey defended his position.

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Former U.S. Senator Pat Toomy (R-PA) argued with CNBC host Joe Kernen about not voting for either candidate in the 2024 presidential election. (Getty Images)

Kernen continued to press the Republican, asking him if he would support Trump if the election came down to “just one vote.”

“It’s an acceptable position for me to say that none of these candidates can be my choice,” Toomey replied.

“It’s going to be one or the other,” Kernen said, reminding Toomey of the massive tax increases in Harris’ economic plan.

Toomey said he, too, does not support Harris. He said Harris’ choice of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate was proof that the “left wing” was running the Democratic Party.

In order to thwart the policies of a Harris administration, Republican control of the Senate is “absolutely necessary,” he argued.

The Republican senator said Vice President Harris’ choice of Tim Walz as the new vice president showed that the left wing of the Democratic Party is in charge. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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“If the other side gets the upper hand,” he said, “they’re going to lift the filibuster tactic and be dragged along by their left wing, which is now clearly in charge. I think Kamala Harris proved that with her election as vice president. It’s about huge tax increases. Probably some kind of Medicare for all. Maybe even an expansion of the Supreme Court because there’s not going to be any recess. But the good news is that I think Republicans are going to win the Senate,” Toomey said.

Kernen disagreed, saying that as president, Harris still has the ability to push through her radical left policies through executive orders and her appointments.

“Yes, there will be damage done. But a Republican Senate can also mitigate that through its confirmation power, so they have to stand firm on some of the nominees,” Toomey insisted.

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