Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign is facing serious problems. Many Republicans are worried that Trump’s efforts to get voters to the polls are not enough. This could be a big problem as Election Day gets closer.
Here’s what’s happening: In past presidential elections, the Republican National Committee (RNC) planned to have about 90 staffers working in Pennsylvania alone. This state is very important for winning the election. But when Trump took over the RNC in March, he changed these plans. Instead of focusing on building a strong team to reach voters, Trump decided to focus on fighting alleged voter fraud. He also relied on various political action committees (PACs) and his loyal volunteers to do the work.
The result? Trump’s campaign is not doing as much as it should to organize and reach voters. Some Republicans are saying that Trump’s campaign looks more like a midterm election effort rather than a major presidential campaign.
Even though Trump’s team says their field operation is bigger than the RNC’s in 2022, it is still much smaller compared to the Biden-Harris campaign. Harris reportedly has around 375 staffers working in Pennsylvania alone. This shows that Trump’s campaign is falling behind in terms of resources and effort.
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Trump’s team has defended their approach, saying they believe their “Trump Force 47” captains and PACs will be enough to get voters to the polls, especially in rural areas.
“Trump Force 47 is focused on spending maximal attention and resources on turning out infrequent or ‘sometimes’ voters, whereas the NTL model valued every voter contact equally,” the Trump official said
But this plan might not be enough. The PACs, like America PAC and Turning Point Action, have only recently started their efforts. According to research, effective voter outreach requires multiple contacts over time, and starting too late in the campaign might mean missing the opportunity to make a significant impact.
A major reason for Trump’s slow progress is the changes he made when he took over the RNC. He put a freeze on hiring new staff and shifted resources away from traditional voter outreach. Instead, he focused on “election integrity” issues. This decision has left Trump with a smaller team and less effective outreach in key swing states.
Trump’s reliance on volunteers through the Trump Force 47 program is also a concern. This program offers rewards like MAGA hats to volunteers who persuade their neighbors to vote. Critics worry that this method might not be as effective as the RNC’s previous strategies. The old methods used advanced technology to better target voters and reach them more effectively.
One former RNC staffer said, “If the Trump campaign pulls it off, it will be the model for all campaigns going forward. If it fails, it will be the fault of James Blair.” -referring to the Trump campaign’s political director. This highlights the high stakes of the campaign’s current strategy.
If Trump’s campaign does not improve its efforts soon, it could seriously hurt his chances in the election. The Harris campaign’s more organized and larger team shows the risks Trump is facing.
By not putting enough effort into grassroots work and depending too much on PACs and volunteers that started late, Trump might be setting himself up for a major defeat in November. The clock is ticking, and it’s uncertain if Trump can fix these issues in time.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
