While Hillary Clinton has withstood a relentless barrage of attacks from the GOP, Bernie Sanders has gone largely untouched. Republicans have even promoted his candidacy with hopes to run against him in a general election.
Why is that? They know that Hillary is the most formidable candidate. And, quite frankly, they’re scared to run against her (an added bonus that Sanders happens to share some of the same positions as the Koch brothers and NRA).
As frontrunner and GOP standard-bearer Donald Trump said, “Oh, would I love to run against Bernie. I would love it. That would be a dream come true.” The GOP really does love Bernie.
GOP supports Sanders’ positions
NRA: “Sen. Sanders was spot-on in his comments about gun manufacturer liability/PLCAA.” [3/7/16, 10:11 a.m. EDT]
Huffington Post headline: “Koch Funded Group: ‘Bernie Sanders Is Right.” [Huffington Post, 3/9/16]
Heritage Action: “Even Bernie Sanders knows the Export-Import Bank is ‘called the bank of Boeing.’” [3/7/16, 2:16 p.m. EDT]
Ted Cruz: “I agree in many ways with Bernie Sanders.” [Washington Post, 2/3/16]
GOP promotes Sanders’ candidacy
RNC spokesman Sean Spicer said he was “trying to help” Bernie Sanders against Hillary Clinton. [@seanspicer, 1/17/16, 10:18 p.m. ET]
USA Today HEADLINE: “Some Republicans promoting Sanders’ candidacy to embarrass Clinton” [USA Today,1/21/16]
Bloomberg HEADLINE: “Republicans Take Their Sanders Advocacy to the Next Level” [Bloomberg, 1/27/16]
American Crossroads aired an ad in Iowa bolstering a core tenet of Sanders’s case against Clinton. [Bloomberg,1/18/16]
Conservative PAC American Crossroads sent an email to reporters offering Bernie Sanders lines of attack against Hillary Clinton. [@gdebenedetti, 2/4/16, 11:59 a.m. ET]
GOP won’t attack Sanders
TIME: “The Republican National Committee has taken the unusual step of sending out press releases to defend Sanders.” [TIME, 1/25/16]
HEADLINE: “GOP Super PACs Give Bernie Sanders A Pass” [MSNBC, 1/19/16]
Bloomberg: Republican groups were “aiming their arrows exclusively at Clinton” because of “a broad consensus…that they would rather face Sanders in a general election.” [Bloomberg, 1/27/16]
Donald Trump on Bernie Sanders: “I shouldn’t hit him too hard, though, because then he’ll go down.” [TIME, 1/25/16]
GOP wants to run against Sanders
John Kasich: “We’re going to win every state, if Bernie Sanders is the nominee.” [Sixth GOP Debate via NYT, 1/14/16]
Donald Trump: “I think beating him, ultimately, would be easier than beating her.” [Washington Examiner, VIDEO, 1/13/16]
Marco Rubio said he would be “very optimistic about” a campaign against Bernie Sanders. [ABC News, 1/19/16]
Alter: “Bernie Sanders would be the easiest Democratic nominee to beat.” [MSNBC, Last Word, 10/13/15]
Geraldo: “The right wants Bernie Sanders, because he would be much easier to beat than Hillary Clinton. Let’s talk reality.” [Fox News, The Five, 10/14/15]
Former Bush press secretary on which Democrat she wants to run against: “From the Republican standpoint? […] Sanders.” [Fox News, The Five, 5:22 PM, 1/19/16]
Reince Priebus said “wild, socialistic, liberal Bernie Sanders” would be “easy to beat.” [Christian Science Monitor,1/19/16]