Kasich's Super PAC planning $2.5m anti-Trump campaign

[Likely Voter]

Since no one else seems to be doing it (in terms of spending $), it appears Kasich's Super PAC wants to lead the charge to take down Trump.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/gop-group-plans-most-aggressive-anti-trump-campaign-yet-216085

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Will Bush's Super PAC (which has a lot more money) follows suit?  Also what about other big 'establishment' groups like Rove's Crossroads or the Chamber of Commerce? So far the only outside group to take on Trump has been The Club For Growth which spent $1m last month in IA.

If I were cynical, I might think that Kasich's Super PAC is partly doing this in hopes of attracting more megadonors. It will be interesting to see if the ads they make include a pro-Kasich or if they are purely anti-Trump. Being that they are coming from a Super PAC there will be no clear connection to Kasich.

[JonathanSwift]

The death throes of a moribund campaign.

[Maxwell]

Trump already destroyed him on twitter, and in every debate so far. Kasich doesn't have a chance.

Plus, it seemed like Club for Growth tried to go after Trump and Bush tried go after Trump and both attacks were total flops.

[Lief 🗽]

Very sad. Kasich has really destroyed his reputation over the past couple of months.

[Maxwell]

Actual John Kasich ad

[Likely Voter]

Trump already destroyed him on twitter, and in every debate so far. Kasich doesn't have a chance.

Plus, it seemed like Club for Growth tried to go after Trump and Bush tried go after Trump and both attacks were total flops.

Firstly, these attacks would come from the Super PAC not Kasich. I suspect he wouldn't even be in the ads (as that will help them get funding beyond the usual Kasich donors).  As for the Club For Growth, they only spent $1m and Trump actually dropped in polling in IA while they were running ads (that was the period Carson pulled ahead in IA).  As for Bush, neither his campaign, nor his Super PAC has run any anti-Trump ads.

Bottom line, Trump has yet to face large-scale negative TV campaign like the ones that took down Gingrich in 2012. I think Kasich's campaign is being clever here and trying to step into the void.

[RI]

Why attack Trump? Kasich's hardly the second choice of Trump supporters.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

RIP Kasich.

Why attack Trump? Kasich's hardly the second choice of Trump supporters.

He is of this Trump supporter

[Maxwell]

Trump already destroyed him on twitter, and in every debate so far. Kasich doesn't have a chance.

Plus, it seemed like Club for Growth tried to go after Trump and Bush tried go after Trump and both attacks were total flops.

Firstly, these attacks would come from the Super PAC not Kasich. I suspect he wouldn't even be in the ads (as that will help them get funding beyond the usual Kasich donors).  As for the Club For Growth, they only spent $1m and Trump actually dropped in polling in IA while they were running ads (that was the period Carson pulled ahead in IA).  As for Bush, neither his campaign, nor his Super PAC has run any anti-Trump ads.

Bottom line, Trump has yet to face large-scale negative TV campaign like the ones that took down Gingrich in 2012. I think Kasich's campaign is being clever here and trying to step into the void.

Totally irrelevant. Carson's surge in the area was the reason for Trump's drop, not any weak ads from Club for Growth.

[Likely Voter]

Why attack Trump? Kasich's hardly the second choice of Trump supporters.

It is a good question, but I think the answer is all about New Hampshire. All the guys in the establishment bracket are focusing on NH assuming the winner of NH will end up being the establishment choice and the nominee (ala McCain and Romney). Problem is that Trump is holding his lead. So Kasich's Super PAC probably feels if that Trump goes down it frees up votes that will more likely flow to establishment types and not religious types like Cruz or Carson.

The NYT has a whole analysis of the establishment problem with Trump in NH.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/upshot/the-gop-establishment-has-a-big-new-hampshire-problem.html

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Kasich gracefully prepares for his exit by doing a real service to his party.

[Maxwell]

Trump attack ads won't do anything because voters who are supporting Trump do so despite whatever past things he said or did. There have been literally a million stories about how awful Trump is and none of them have done an inch of real damage. He's been stuck at the mid 20s range for a long time, sometimes moving up to upper 20s early 30s, but never quite falling from that mid 20s range.

[Likely Voter]

Trump already destroyed him on twitter, and in every debate so far. Kasich doesn't have a chance.

Plus, it seemed like Club for Growth tried to go after Trump and Bush tried go after Trump and both attacks were total flops.

Firstly, these attacks would come from the Super PAC not Kasich. I suspect he wouldn't even be in the ads (as that will help them get funding beyond the usual Kasich donors).  As for the Club For Growth, they only spent $1m and Trump actually dropped in polling in IA while they were running ads (that was the period Carson pulled ahead in IA).  As for Bush, neither his campaign, nor his Super PAC has run any anti-Trump ads.

Bottom line, Trump has yet to face large-scale negative TV campaign like the ones that took down Gingrich in 2012. I think Kasich's campaign is being clever here and trying to step into the void.

Totally irrelevant. Carson's surge in the area was the reason for Trump's drop, not any weak ads from Club for Growth.

It is quite possible that the CFG ads had no impact, but that gets to my point. Trump has yet to face a big campaign like when the establishment went after Gingrich in late 2011/early 2012.   It seems to me that Kasich's Super PAC is is trying to get out front and test the theory that Trump can be taken down with negative TV. If they show results, you can probably expect others to follow. 

Maybe Trump is immune, maybe not. And even if Trump goes down, it is up to Kasich's actual campaign (not his Super PAC) to find a way to take advantage of any dip in Trump support. Also, this campaign will also test the resolve of Trump himself. Will he finally actually spend his own money on TV? One thing is for sure, Trump has taken notice.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/trump-responds-kasich-super-pac-attack-216091

So at the very least, Kasich's Super PAC has already put their preferred candidate back into the conversation.

[Pandaguineapig]

I don't think the ads are targeted at the 25% or so that currently support Trump(you can't fix stupid) but rather prevent him from growing when the field shrinks that a potty trained candidate can win the nomination

[Statilius the Epicurean]

Can we not take a step back and consider how insane it is that a Kasich SuperPAC has $2.5m to spend on an ad campaign?

[dudeabides]

Why attack Trump? Kasich's hardly the second choice of Trump supporters.

Actual Trump ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyqEFUQKczw

[I support Sanders]

RIP Trump

[Illiniwek]

Kasich gracefully prepares for his exit by doing a real service to his party.

I guess we will see what the ads really look like when they come out, but I do believe this is meant to be more about anti-Trump than pro-Kasich. All of the SuperPac people have to see the hand-writing on the wall about Kasich, but that money does have to be spent! Why not spend it on defeating the most HP to run in recent memory?

[Mr. Morden]

Kasich and Trump going after each other on Twitter:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/trump-responds-kasich-super-pac-attack-216091

[Sir Mohamed]

Kasish still gets contributions?

[EliteLX]

Kasich and Trump going after each other on Twitter:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/trump-responds-kasich-super-pac-attack-216091

Mother of pearl the Donald really runs the show.

sigh

[YaBoyNY]

To nobody's surprise, TRUMP is obliterating that low-energy loser Kasich.

And Atlas has a like for this dork? lol

[TJ in Oregon]

Hopefully Kamikazi Kasich can do one last good thing for America before he goes. He may not be the hero Gotham wants but the hero Gotham needs.

[Kingpoleon]

Kasich and Trump going after each other on Twitter:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/trump-responds-kasich-super-pac-attack-216091

It's only good news for Kasich. Rubio's had his moment, and the establishment is fearing he won't be able to take Trump on. The higher name recognition of Bush is what kept it from working. Kasich's PAC is effective and as deadly accurate as a wolverine. This is a low point for the Kasich campaign in N. H. He can only go up from here.

[Lief 🗽]

Perry, Walker, Jindal... they all went after TRUMP too.