Weld bets on New Hampshire to fuel long shot bid against Trump | TheHill - Jonathan Easley
January 29, 2020 - "Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld (R) is betting on undeclared voters in New Hampshire to fuel his long shot challenge against President Trump, believing the state’s fierce independent streak and potential for cross-over voters could turn him into a contender after the Feb. 11 primary....
"Trump’s grip on the Republican Party is as tight as ever. Over the course of 120 events Weld has attended across the Granite State over the past year, he said there’s been no evidence to suggest that Trump’s voters are warming to him as an alternative. However, Weld says he’s gaining traction among left-leaning independents and undeclared voters who are eligible to vote in either party’s primary in New Hampshire.
"Weld faces near impossible odds in his quest for the nomination. A WBUR survey of New Hampshire from last month found Trump at 74 percent support, against 9 percent for Weld. The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) combined to raise more than $463 million in 2019. The Weld campaign brought in about $1.3 million in the first three quarters.... About a half-dozen states will not even hold GOP primaries this year, and the RNC has taken other steps to head off a potential primary challenger as well.
"But Weld says the bar for success is so low that he’s set up to shock the world on primary day in New Hampshire. The 'wise guys,' Weld said, expect him to get only 1 or 2 percent in New Hampshire, so a 10 percent showing or better might be all he needs. 'If I got 20 percent, they’d be like, ... what’s happening here?,' Weld said....
"Weld, who ran on the Libertarian Party ticket with former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson in 2016, said if he does not win the GOP nomination, he will not run as a third-party candidate again.
"Weld said he could happily support former Vice President Joe Biden in a matchup against Trump.... [H]e likes and admires Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), but would have a tough' time supporting either of them, believing their progressive politics are out of step with where most of the country is. And he’s worried about how a candidate from the left would fare in a head-to-head matchup against Trump....
"Weld also said he’d also be happy if either Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.) or former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee secured the Libertarian Party’s nomination. Regardless, Weld says he wants Trump out of office at all costs....
"Weld is warning Senate Republicans that absolving Trump of wrongdoing in the impeachment trial will backfire, and that instead, the GOP will pay a price at the ballot box for not removing him from office. When asked if he thinks Republicans will lose the Senate, Weld responded: 'I think it’s quite likely.'”
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/480600-the-hill-interview-weld-bets-on-new-hampshire-to-fuel-long-shot-bid-against
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January 29, 2020 - "Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld (R) is betting on undeclared voters in New Hampshire to fuel his long shot challenge against President Trump, believing the state’s fierce independent streak and potential for cross-over voters could turn him into a contender after the Feb. 11 primary....
"Trump’s grip on the Republican Party is as tight as ever. Over the course of 120 events Weld has attended across the Granite State over the past year, he said there’s been no evidence to suggest that Trump’s voters are warming to him as an alternative. However, Weld says he’s gaining traction among left-leaning independents and undeclared voters who are eligible to vote in either party’s primary in New Hampshire.
"Weld faces near impossible odds in his quest for the nomination. A WBUR survey of New Hampshire from last month found Trump at 74 percent support, against 9 percent for Weld. The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) combined to raise more than $463 million in 2019. The Weld campaign brought in about $1.3 million in the first three quarters.... About a half-dozen states will not even hold GOP primaries this year, and the RNC has taken other steps to head off a potential primary challenger as well.
"But Weld says the bar for success is so low that he’s set up to shock the world on primary day in New Hampshire. The 'wise guys,' Weld said, expect him to get only 1 or 2 percent in New Hampshire, so a 10 percent showing or better might be all he needs. 'If I got 20 percent, they’d be like, ... what’s happening here?,' Weld said....
"Weld, who ran on the Libertarian Party ticket with former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson in 2016, said if he does not win the GOP nomination, he will not run as a third-party candidate again.
"Weld said he could happily support former Vice President Joe Biden in a matchup against Trump.... [H]e likes and admires Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), but would have a tough' time supporting either of them, believing their progressive politics are out of step with where most of the country is. And he’s worried about how a candidate from the left would fare in a head-to-head matchup against Trump....
"Weld also said he’d also be happy if either Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.) or former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee secured the Libertarian Party’s nomination. Regardless, Weld says he wants Trump out of office at all costs....
"Weld is warning Senate Republicans that absolving Trump of wrongdoing in the impeachment trial will backfire, and that instead, the GOP will pay a price at the ballot box for not removing him from office. When asked if he thinks Republicans will lose the Senate, Weld responded: 'I think it’s quite likely.'”
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