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Dems, GOP forge virus outbreak into '20 campaign issue

Posted at 1:18 AM, Mar 14, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-14 01:18:05-04

BY ALAN FRAM, WASHINGTON — Coronavirus is already coloring the 2020 campaign.

Democrats say President Donald Trump’s muddled response to the outbreak leaves him and down-ballot Republicans vulnerable over the burgeoning health crisis.

They're also using it to challenge his competency and, potentially most damaging, the staggering economy.

Republicans are accusing Democrats of politicizing the virus.

But mainly, they'e nervously waiting to see if Trump can reverse the stock market's nosedive, avert a recession and overcome the coronavirus in just a few months.

That could give the GOP time to prevent Democrats from using the problems to define November's elections for the White House and control of Congress.