Does he know McCain is dead?
A leader of the “Never Trump” movement has no plans to let President Trump run for re-election without first facing a primary opponent.
Bill Kristol told CNBC in an interview published Friday that his nonprofit Defending Democracy Together is seeking a Republican to challenge Trump in 2020.
“People aren’t going to say they will run against Trump unless they have the infrastructure, but I’ve been trying to persuade people that it may not be that difficult,” he said.
To prepare, he’s organized a group of activists to poll voters and meet with focus groups in swing states. He’s also setting up a super PAC to raise money for 2020 Republican candidates.
He’s been courting Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Ohio Gov. John Kasich — all of whom have frequently criticized the president.
The three have shown interest in running against the president, Kristol said. But they’ve also said publicly that they’re focused on serving their constituents and helping Republicans maintain control of Congress through the midterm elections.