Talk Elections

Trump is mapping out a fall fundraising tour that is expected to fill his campaign bank account with tens of millions of dollars. His team has tracked dozens of potential Democratic rivals, a list of names that ranges from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. And his administration has received political advice from a top campaign pollster from his 2016 campaign, who has urged the president to keep up his attacks on the mainstream media.
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Behind the scenes, White House aides have begun informally monitoring the political activities of an ever-expanding group of Democrats who are considering 2020 campaigns — a roster that includes veteran officeholders like Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, newcomers like Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton, and outsiders like former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. The attention that would come with running against Trump will be irresistible to Democrats, his aides predict, ensuring that scores take the plunge.

With Trump’s support declining among Republicans, his aides are also keeping an eye on possible GOP opponents, namely John Kasich. The Ohio governor and 2016 rival has kept up his criticism of the president and recently published a book, “Two Paths,” laying out his differences with the president. The attacks, two administration officials said, have drawn notice within the White House.