"This is Trump’s party": Republicans eager to knock back 2020 challengers

“From what I read, the president is interested in having no primaries anywhere and if he had his druthers, no election,” Weld told the Guardian. “This is from his lips, I’m not making this up. And from the memos that are going out from the White House and the Republican National Committee to the state parties saying, whatever you do, make sure there is no contest.”…

Weld and other candidates can get their names on the New Hampshire primary ballot, which is overseen by the secretary of state, for a $1,000 fee. But the recent debate was indicative of unprecedented pressure from the RNC to give Trump a clear run ahead of a presidential election that looks perilously close.

Fran Wendelboe, treasurer of the conservative 603 Alliance in New Hampshire and a former member of the state house, said: “The message from the RNC is: ‘We can’t stop other candidates running but we’re making it very clear they won’t be welcomed with open arms and won’t get much assistance.’”