'He can't win': Insiders cast doubt on White House 'fool's folly' bid to oust GOP governor
Pressure from Donald Trump’s White House to primary a Republican Party governor for refusing to redistrict her state is running into a wall of skepticism and resistance, reports Politico.
As the report notes, the White House is not happy with Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) for balking at demands to help Republicans increase their margin in the House and there are reports that part of the pressure campaign includes getting controversial Department of Homeland Security official Corey Lewandowski to run against her.
As Politico’s Lisa Kashinsky, Kelly Garrity and Myah Ward are reporting, there are upsides and downsides to Lewandowski leaving DHS, where he is rumored to be in a personal relationship with Director Kristi Noem, and may have overstayed his welcome, but leaving for a run would hand the White House an “off-ramp” to move him along, some suggest.
The report notes, “Amid the chatter about Lewandowski’s potential interest in running for governor, rumors also swirled this week that he was leaving the agency. One administration official said Lewandowski would only leave if requested by Trump or White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. The official, granted anonymity to discuss personnel matters, added that his exit would ‘dramatically change the atmosphere across DHS.’”
GOP insiders in New Hampshire aren’t so sure that primarying the incumbent is a good idea, with one doubting Lewandowski, who comes with considerable baggage, including accusations of assaulting a woman, could win.
“He’s obviously a smart guy, so he throws his name in there just to get headlines. But in the end, he’s not going to do it because he knows he can’t win,” one insider told Politico.
Influential former state Rep. Gene Chandler (R), described as a “power broker,” also cast doubts about the primary challenge, telling Politico, “It’s a fool’s folly.”
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