Democrats are ‘looking for dirt’ on 20 ‘potential’ Republican candidates

The Democratic Party is casting a wide net as it begins the process of digging up dirt on a group of Republicans who might challenge President Joe Biden in 2024. 

They have identified 20 targets including Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell for opposition research.

They have 49 potential GOP candidates in their sights, but haven’t released a full list, and are expecting a crowded field. 

Democrats already have a playbook to use against former President Donald Trump, should he choose to run again. Trump overcame all manner of dirt during his successful 2016 run, including multiple women accusing him of harassing or assaulting them over decades. Trump denied the charges. 

Democrats have spent years digging up material on former President Donald Trump, and prosecutors are looking over his tax returns. Now the DNC is also looking into opposition research on a list of other potential GOP presidential candidates 

To prepare for contingencies, the DNC is digging up ‘oppo’ research on at least 20 Republicans candidates, Politico reported.  

This time, Democrats will pore over Trump’s public comments leading up to the January 6th riot, as well as his comments since then. Trump launched a new web site that will served as his platform for comments, and is assuming an active public profile while not ruling out another run in 2024 – even as he faces new legal challenges that could dredge up new material. Prosecutors in New York have obtained his tax returns.

Many top Democrats do not believe Trump will go through with a run – but the party is trying not to be caught off guard. 

On their list of people to research is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

One opponent for governor, Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist, is already pointing to DeSantis’ administration opening a vaccine distribution center in a wealthy error, and accusing DeSantis of benefitting his campaign contributors.

MyPillow exec Mike Lindell, who visited the White House in the last days of the Trump administration and who has continued to make claims the election was stolen, is also coming under review. He is launching a new social media platform, and is being sued by voting machine companies over his post-election claims.

Democrats are not overlooking Fox News prime time host Tucker Carlson, who recently went on a tear on his show when he said parents who let their kids wear masks outside ‘child abuse.’ 

Carlson shot down a comment by GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, under investigation for allegedly paying an escort for sex when she was 17, when Gaetz said the two had gone to dinner.

Gaetz denies the allegations against them. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is a potential candidate. He will be judged in part by how his state responds to his move to lift coronavirus restrictions. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is a Trump ally who is facing litigation following his assertions of election fraud

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz met with Trump ad Mar-a-Lago and posted it Tuesday

Democrats are eying Fox host Tucker Carlson and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley as  potential candidates

‘You and I went to dinner about two years ago, your wife was there, and I brought a friend of mine, you’ll remember her,’ Gaetz told him in the March interview. He said she had been ‘threatened’ by the FBI. 

‘I don’t remember the woman you are speaking of or the context at all, honestly,’ Carlson told him. Later Carlson called it ‘one of the weirdest interviews I’ve ever conducted.’

Also getting the research treatment is former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who has long been seen as a potential 2024 contender, but indicated she would defer if Trump decides to run. 

The team already has 25 investigators, with plans to add 50 more. Some of the jobs are being advertised on LinkedIn. 

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who Trump brought up in a statement Wednesday complaining about election fraud, is another potential contender.