Biden to get cover from major super PAC as GOP attacks ramp up (Politico)

[Skya Rhen]

Democrats' flagship 2020 super PAC plans to launch ads aiding Joe Biden in the presidential race, arguing that as the party’s likely nominee for president, Biden needs to be defended from attacks being waged by President Donald Trump and his allies.

"Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress have made it clear that they view Joe Biden as the likely Democratic nominee, and are beginning to attack him in an effort to define the race before our primary is officially over and the nominee can defend himself. We will not allow that to go unanswered," Guy Cecil, chairman of the outside group Priorities USA, said in a statement provided to POLITICO. Priorities USA has started "the process of conducting research and producing both digital and TV ads" to counter Trump, and the super PAC is "prepared to fight back against any false attacks waged by Republicans against Joe Biden," Cecil said.


Republicans have started building lines of attack on Biden in the days following his string of victories in South Carolina and Super Tuesday states. Trump and allies on Capitol Hill have re-upped their focus on the Biden family's business dealings, a likely line of attack against Biden in a general election campaign. And Trump has repeatedly questioned Biden's mental fitness. "He doesn’t even know where he is or what he’s doing or what office he’s running for. Honestly, I don’t think he knows what office he’s running for," Trump said about Biden during a campaign rally last week.


Biden could use the cover as he risks a two-front battle between both Bernie Sanders and Republicans in the coming weeks. But Priorities USA, whose mission is to raise and spend tens of millions of dollars to aid the eventual Democratic nominee for president, risks appearing to put a thumb on the scale for Biden by running ads in his favor while he is still in a competitive primary with Sanders. The group is still neutral in the primary, Cecil said. And Priorities USA will "reassess its plans" if the race tips in Sanders' favor and he is under attack from the president, a spokesman said.

"We will remain neutral in the primary and will support whoever the nominee is, however we cannot ignore the delegate math that indicates that it’s increasingly likely that Joe Biden will become the nominee," Cecil said. "The alternative of waiting and allowing Donald Trump to define the general election and give himself a potentially insurmountable advantage is unacceptable."


https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/09/biden-priorities-usa-gop-attacks-124136