Republicans Launch New Offensive to Take Down Donald Trump

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign stop at the Burlington Memorial Auditorium, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, in Burlington, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

A new effort to discount and take down unexpected Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is now underway.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that a team of establishment Republicans is hatching plans for a “guerrilla” offensive against Trump before the business mogul gains more steam at the Iowa caucus scheduled for February 1.

Leading the effort is former Republican National Committee operative Liz Mair. Mair is calling her effort Trump Card LLC and she told the Journal that the group is “loosely organized and highly confidential” in an effort to attract high-rolling donors “who are very happy that their fingerprints will be kept off things.”

Rick Wilson, who has helped a new Rubio-supporting super PAC “Baby Got PAC” told the Journal he would also be involved in doing media work.

Originally viewed as a blip in a long campaign, Trump’s lead now is the cause of irritation, confusion and deep concern among the GOP’s establishment. Trump’s continual calls to build a border wall, as well as his most recent call that U.S. Muslims should be put into a database, are eroding the party’s efforts to appeal to minority voters who will be key for the party in a general election.

Yet this attempt is just the latest to attempt to upset Trump’s lead. Fellow Republican presidential candidates from Jeb Bush to John Kasich have attacked Trump, and as the Wall Street Journal story noted, the Club For Growth – a powerful outside group that supports free market conservatives– also has broadcast ads decrying Trump across Iowa.

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  1. FFS, the first rule of Secret Guerrilla Takedown is YOU. DO. NOT. TALK. ABOUT Secret Guerrilla Takedown!

  2. when will the photos and emails of Donnie having an affair with a guy surface…

    not that there is anything wrong with that…

    as long as it’s tasteful…

  3. Avatar for jsfox jsfox says:

    "Leading the effort is former Republican National Committee operative Liz Mair. Mair is calling her effort Trump Card LLC and she told the Journal that the group is “loosely organized and highly confidential” in an effort to attract high-rolling donors "who are very happy that their fingerprints will be kept off things.”

    Well so much for it being a secret. Not only cannot they govern they cannot even get out of their own way.

  4. The Republican establishment is reaping what they have sowed. They spent the Obama years warning their base about the “other,” and screaming about impending doom. Trump has merely crafted a message that fits the narrative they created.

    Nothing will purge the Repugs of this nonsense except a massive electoral defeat, maybe several.

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