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Republican operatives and donors in Washington and Missouri are working privately to undermine the Senate campaign of Eric Greitens, a former governor who resigned in disgrace four years ago after running an ad that graphically dramatized the persecution of members of his own party.
But the opposition is divided between factions supporting various rivals in the August 2 primary and because of disagreements over who should attack the Greitens or how, according to the people involved in the discussion. They, as well as others interviewed for this article, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive issues.
Others are preparing to pour millions instead into an independent bid from John F. Wood, a senior investigative adviser to the House of Representatives committee investigating the January 6 attack. And some are worried that interfering in the race could play into Greytens’ hands, fostering his anti-establishment posture – or even urging former President Donald Trump to support him.
Two people familiar with Trump’s reaction to the Greitens ad said the president had said he did not appreciate the content and thought it had gone too far. But Trump has not commented publicly on the ad and sometimes tells different advisers different things, depending on the context of the conversation.
Some Trump advisers are doing the same begged him not to support Greitens, which could be crucial in the right drifting state. Among those privately appalled by the ad is Rona McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, who lobbied Trump against any approval in the Missouri Senate race and made a series of calls to allies and advisers this week to express her displeasure. the video.
Six weeks before the election, some Republicans are panicking that winning the Greitens primary may hurt the party in a state it must win to regain control of the Senate.
“People are aware that Eric Grietens has been in danger of being elected for a long time,” said John Hancock, a former state party chairman who advised the Republican campaign on Vicky Harzler, Greytens’ main opponent. “Personally, I am concerned that he is the only candidate in this race who could cost the Republican Party this seat.”
Still, none of the Republican leadership had much desire to say anything in public on Wednesday. RNC spokeswoman Emma Vaughn said “threats of violence have no place in our politics”, but also did not specifically condemn Greytens, saying Democrats should have expressed more concern about the recent threat to Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Cavanaugh. . Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, declined to comment through a spokesman. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Said only that Republican voters should “consider” the ad. Trump, through a spokesman, did not respond to a request for comment.
Several people close to the Senate leadership said they feared attacking Greytens because the ad would only help him, even when worried about the idea that he might be nominated. McConnell told his allies that he had no plans to try to defeat Greytens.
“If anyone wants to stop Eric Grittens, that effort will have to be made soon,” said James Harris, a Republican consultant in Missouri who is not running on the Senate competition. “I think it’s very difficult to stop Eric Grietens unless President Trump supports one of the other candidates. And whoever approves will win. “
People close to the former president said councilors said the approval of Greytens, who was accused by his ex-wife of domestic violence, would resume coverage of Trump’s numerous allegations of sexual violence. Greytens and Trump have denied the allegations.
“If you plan to run again, why do you have this man’s luggage?” Said one of Trump’s confidants, summing up the argument given by senators, allies and other donors.
For his part, Greytens courted Trump’s support, posing as a MAGA warrior, naming his campaign president Kimberly Guilfoil, who is engaged to the former president’s son of the same name, and often appearing in a popular podcast by former White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon. Greytens also hired Boris Epstein, a former White House staffer who is a regular confidant of Trump, as well as many advisers to the former president.
Republican strategists are particularly sensitive to any allegations that the attacks are traceable to McConnell, who is at odds with Trump and unpopular with his supporters.
“The debate: it has to end – now who will do it?” Said one person involved in discussions on how to attack Greitens. “If McConnell comes in, it’s almost like inviting Trump to come in and support the Greitens, which no one wants to see happen.
Some of the party’s top donors have discussed how to give up Greitens, according to a Republican operative with direct knowledge of the discussions.
“There are about a dozen major Republican donors who are interested in Eric Grietens not being nominated. There has been considerable discussion about how they will do it. There is no lack of donor interest, but it is a question of who is the right entity, “said this operative.
Republicans are testing which line of attack against the Greitens may be the most damaging. Reports include his personal controversies, such as an extramarital affair and allegations that he tried to blackmail the woman he had an affair with, as well as his presence at the 2008 Democratic National Congress when Barack Obama was nominated. Two people who saw the results said the personal attacks had alienated voters from Greytens, but not as much as they emphasized his trip to the Democratic National Convention.
Greytens is largely moving without any advertisements for an attack, with just under $ 74,000 spent by the super PAC, agreed with Attorney General Eric Schmidt (R), who is also running in the primary, according to the Federal Election Commission. The total cost of the race lags behind other competitive Senate primary elections, according to Medium Buying, a company that runs and tracks political ads. In Missouri, the August 2 primary election campaign usually intensifies after the Fourth of July holiday.
Public and private research shows that Graytens has a slight lead in the crowded field. In addition to Schmidt and Harzler, he confronts Representative Billy Long and St. Louis lawyer Mark McCloskey, who made headlines in 2020 for brandishing an assault rifle against passing protesters. Harris estimated that the race was fragmented enough for the winning candidate to have only 28 percent of the vote, a number Greytens had achieved in recent polls. There is no minimum or outflow.
Schmidt-affiliated groups focused their negative publicity on Harzler, while Harzler’s supporters turned to Schmidt. Schmidt has the support of Americans for Prosperity and the Senate Conservative Fund. Greitens has received air support from super PACs funded by Republican mega-donors Richard Wichline and Bernie Marcus, according to FEC findings. Uihlein contributed $ 2.5 million to a group that aired commercials against Schmidt and Harzler, and Marcus gave $ 1 million to a team that supports Greitens.
However, the Greitens campaign itself is struggling to raise money. The campaign has not paid for the promotion of violent advertising that promotes hunting “RINO” – an acronym for the mocking phrase “Republicans by name” – according to someone familiar with the strategy, as well as revelations from Facebook and the Federal Communications Commission.
Within 24 hours of the ad’s release, Greitens’ campaign reported more than 400 new donors with small dollars, the highlight of the campaign so far this cycle. Supporters are encouraged to give $ 25 to the campaign to receive a sticker stating that they have a “RINO hunting permit.” In an interview with radio, Greytens said the ad was intended “with a sense of humor and a sense of fun.”
“We are pleased that Governor Greytens has clarified that his advertisement is ridiculous,” Vaughn, an RNC contributor, said in an email.
With no hope of consolidating the main field, some Republicans are looking beyond it to challenge Greitens with an independent bid. Wood is preparing to leave the House of Representatives committee on Jan. 6 and is investigating an independent candidacy in Missouri.
His election commission, which has not yet officially submitted documents, launched a website and began raising money on Monday in response to Greitens’ violent advertising, said consultant Steve Crimea. Wood will have to collect 10,000 signatures by August 1 to enter the ballot as an independent.
“John is a Republican, he will always be a Republican,” Crimea said. “But in this scenario, with the ultimate elements of the party controlling the Republican candidate, I think that was the best way.
If Wood decides to run, he will have the support of former Senator John Danforth (R-Mo.), Who is raising money for a super PAC to support an independent bid. The Danforth group commissioned a poll among Missouri voters in February, which found widespread aversion to political polarization and interest in a unifying centrist.
“Outside the charts, people think politics is now broken and hurting the country,” Danforth said. “I’m not interested in running in the Republican primary and I’m not interested in being a spoiler for anyone. This will be an election campaign. “
Danforth called Wood the “real deal” and said he had $ 9 million in commitments and was looking to raise $ 20 million, which would be in line with the cost of the most expensive Senate primary in this cycle.
The independent proposal will continue regardless of who wins the Republican nomination, Crimea said. Danforth admitted that there are Greitens in the race will probably help raise funds for an independent challenge, but he looked at all …
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