Fox Business Network host Larry Kudlow said during a show segment on Monday that he believes the biggest reason Republicans failed to win elections earlier this month in red state Kentucky and purple state Virginia was because candidates did not “use” former President Donald Trump to bolster GOP voter turnout.

“The reality of these nominations is, just get behind Trump. I want to make another point here. The Republicans were disappointed in Kentucky, and Virginia, not in New York they did great in New York, they swept Suffolk County and the suburbs,” Kudlow, who served as the Director of the National Economic Council during Trump’s term, said.

“Because they are not using Trump, okay? That was the problem in Virginia. The governor did not use Trump. And in Kentucky, the guy who was endorsed by Trump two years ago did not use Trump, Trump would have tripled the turnout and given Republicans a chance to win. Trump would have talked about the border and talked, ‘Drill, baby, drill.’ He would have talked about going after Iran, hammer and tongs. What is it with this? The institutional GOP is the worst,” he said.

Mark Simone, a talk radio host on WOR, responded, “And Kentucky is on Mitch McConnell, that was his guy.”

Joe Concha, a media analyst and frequent Fox News contributor, who was also a guest on the show, added: “And by the way, he was going to get reelected, the Democrat there, it’s not such a big upset. In 2022, 28 governors ran for reelection, and 27 won. Virginia has been a blue state for nearly 20 years, [GOP Gov.] Glenn Youngkin cannot come in and a year and a half make it completely red. These results, and in Ohio with abortion, Kansas passed a similar referendum, that’s deeper than Ohio. But the results are not as surprising as people are saying.”

Kudlow then said Trump could be the one factor that would have led to more GOP victories.

“I agree with that,” he said of Concha’s remarks. “But if you want a big turnout and roll the dice, you have to bring Trump in and bring Trump’s issues.

“To the people missing this, Trump is running on issues. That’s why he is winning so much in the polls,” Kudlow added.