The Trump campaign is always on the lookout for ways to make everything all about Donald Trump, and Thursday night’s Democratic presidential debate is no different. The Trump campaign will fly a banner behind an airplane over Houston in the hours before the debate. “Socialism will kill Houston’s economy,” the banner will read, along with a text sign-up number.
So rather than sitting back and letting Democrats swipe at each other, or waiting to see what news comes out of the debate that provides an opening for a Trump-friendly message, Team Trump is going with the bluntest possible message—and one that will let Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders make a key point. No matter who Democrats nominate, Republicans will attack that person as a socialist. This banner is not specifically about Sanders, the one self-proclaimed socialist in the primary. It’s about any Democrat.
They’re explicit about that: ”Every single Democrat candidate has job killing, economy crushing policies that won't work for America. Team Trump is here to remind them and let everyone in Houston know what a complete disaster Democrats are for America,” a campaign spokesperson said Wednesday.
The Trump campaign is also running newspaper ads against Democratic candidates, including one accusing former HUD Secretary Julián Castro of “obstructing the president.” Castro’s brother, Rep. Joaquin Castro, is the one in a position to obstruct Trump.