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.
A spokesman for Sasse denied the senator is considering a run for president in 2020.
“Look, I’m not going to comment on what other people try to talk about with the Senator, but — like we’ve said for a long time — Ben isn’t paying any attention to the 2020 Washington rumors. Bill is a nice guy but he’s freelancing his own show here. We’re not involved,” James Wegmann told the Washington Examiner.
Spokespeople for Flake and Kasich did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Washington Examiner.
Kristol is also eyeing Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to primary Trump.
Editor’s note: Kristol is an editor-at-large of The Weekly Standard, which is owned by Clarity Media Group, the same company that owns the Washington Examiner.
