'It's malpractice': Republicans give potential 2020 Trump foes a pass

The GOP has failed to recruit strong candidates against a slate of potential Democratic reelection opponents.

By GABRIEL DEBENEDETTI 01/17/2018 05:00 AM EST

NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo got the good news just after New Year’s Day: Two of his most formidable potential Republican challengers for reelection this year were taking a pass. Days later, it was Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown’s turn, when the Republican front-runner to take him on dropped out of the race.

Cuomo and Brown are not alone among Democrats who might challenge President Donald Trump in 2020: At least eight of them, all high-profile politicians, appear poised to avoid facing Republicans’ top-choice challenger this year. And in many cases, that’s allowing the potential White House hopefuls to envision a 2018 spent honing their image as leaders of the anti-Trump resistance as they stockpile campaign cash — rather than having to focus on a serious GOP attempt to beat them, or just sully their image.

“No one wants to be a sacrificial lamb, but [Republicans] don’t even appear to be trying in some of these states,” Shripal Shah, a Democratic Senate campaign veteran who is now a vice president at the Democratic super PAC American Bridge, said of the lack of viable GOP candidates. “It’s not a missed opportunity. It’s malpractice.”

The GOP recruitment shortfall isn’t limited to races in liberal states where ambitious Democrats are considering national runs. Republican leaders have failed to secure their top-choice candidate in eight of the 10 Senate races in states that Trump won in 2016, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott has yet to commit to his expected run for Sen. Bill Nelson’s seat.

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https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/17/trump-republicans-democrats-midterms-cuomo-338945