Folks, I’m sitting here sipping my coffee, reading about the midterms mood among Donald Trump’s inner circle, and I have to say, it’s a real mixed bag. Apparently, Trump’s approval ratings have hit an all-time low, and his team is scrambling to figure out how to help the GOP keep control of Congress. I mean, it’s not like they didn’t see this coming, but still, it’s interesting to watch them try to navigate this mess.
It seems that Trump’s advisers have acknowledged that there’s little expectation he can win over large numbers of independents and swing voters, which is a big part of his path to victory in critical states. And while they’re more concerned about losing control of the House, Republicans’ confidence in holding onto the Senate is dwindling by the day. One Trump adviser even told CNN that “it’s obviously going to be f***ing rough,” which, I mean, is a bit of an understatement.
The plan, apparently, is for Trump and Vice President JD Vance to go on an aggressive campaign schedule in October, hitting both battleground and deep-red states. They’re hoping to increase turnout, which is their only hope at holding ground, according to one operative. The system is built around identifying areas where they need to “goose turnout 2-3 points,” which, I guess, is a fancy way of saying they’re trying to get their base voters to show up at the polls.
Trump’s senior advisers have put together a calendar that has him on the campaign trail for most days in October, with trips planned to Alabama and Oklahoma next week. However, a GOP official said those were “outliers” in the travel strategy, which would focus more on battleground districts. The plan is for Trump to play hard in Florida, Texas, Michigan, and Ohio, and to go to more conservative areas, even in purple states.
Meanwhile, Republicans in both purple territories and red districts have broken with Trump on issues ranging from the Iran War to the economy to immigration. Some have even removed Trump references from their campaign websites, which, I mean, is a pretty clear sign that they’re trying to distance themselves from the president.
The GOP official involved in strategy seems to be taking it all in stride, saying that candidates need to run the races they need to run, and that they’re encouraging them to do what they need to do. However, it’s clear that Trump’s team is getting a little desperate, with some operatives admitting that the enormous sums of money being spent on campaign ads might not be enough to reverse the strong political headwinds created by the president himself.
One thing that’s clear is that Trump’s team believes his ability to drive turnout is one of Republicans’ greatest assets come November. However, his advisers also acknowledge that Trump isn’t just a driver of enthusiasm for his own supporters; he’s also a strong driver of Democratic turnout. So, it’s a bit of a catch-22, where they need Trump to energize their base, but they also risk energizing the Democratic base against them.
The decision of where and when to send Trump and Vance is driven directly by the massive data operation that the president’s political team has amassed. They’re using this data to identify areas where they can maximize turnout and minimize the number of “persuadable” voters they need to win over. It’s all a bit of a numbers game, and one that Trump’s team is hoping will pay off in the end.
In the end, it’s hard to say what’s going to happen in the midterms. Trump’s team is clearly getting a little desperate, and they’re trying everything they can to hold onto control of Congress. But, as one operative said, “the cake is already baked,” and it’s hard to see how they can turn things around at this point. Oh well, as they say, “you can’t make this stuff up” – and I’m just here for the popcorn, folks!
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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