House Republicans in key battleground districts are itching to attack a Democratic corruption "bogeyman" — but are being stopped because they're running alongside former President Donald Trump, according to a new report.
New York Republicans remain unwilling to risk reminding voters of Trump's criminal conviction by targeting a scandal-laden local politician who, in any other race, would have been a sitting duck, insiders told Politico Thursday.
"New York House Republicans have an easy target in criminally indicted Eric Adams," wrote Emily Ngo. "But criminally convicted Donald Trump stands in their way."
The New York City mayor, a Democrat, was accused of federal fraud and bribery charges just months after a New York City jury found Trump guilty of criminally falsifying business records to conceal hush money paid a porn star ahead of the 2016 presidential election, court records show.
Both men pleaded not guilty.
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But while Trump has been able to capitalize on his conviction by casting himself as the victim of a political witch hunt, Adams' favorability ratings have plummeted in six key battleground seats that could decide which party controls the House in 2025, Politico reported.
Yet Republicans have been loath to attack Adams' most sensational weakness — accusations he accepted bribes from Turkish officials — for one reason confirmed to Politico by an anonymous Republican congressional campaign aide.
“Once you start getting to the charges against him and whether they disqualify him for office," the aide reportedly said, "the next logical question would be whether Trump should leave the race because of his charges."
Politico reported Democrats are also well aware of the reason Adams hasn’t become "star bogeyman."
“They know they’re all supporting a convicted felon for the presidency,” said a Democratic House campaign aide. “Republicans are on the ballot with Trump. Democrats aren’t on the ballot with Adams.”