The Trump campaign is making a strategic move to expand its ground game in traditionally Democratic states like Minnesota and Virginia, putting President Biden’s campaign on the defensive. A new internal campaign memo obtained exclusively by CBS News reveals the campaign’s plans to establish a stronger presence in these key battleground states.
According to the memo, the campaign is in the process of securing leases for eight “Trump Force 47” offices in Minnesota and 11 campaign offices in Virginia. “Trump Force 47” is a joint effort between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee’s grassroots volunteer canvassing program. The campaign has also hired new staff to manage its ground game in these states and is building out teams to support its efforts.
By focusing on Minnesota and Virginia, the campaign believes it can create “at least 12 additional pathways to 270,” referring to the number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency. James Blair, the Trump campaign’s political director, authored the memo outlining these strategic goals.
The decision to target Minnesota and Virginia stems from internal campaign polls that reportedly show President Biden’s weakening favorability in these states. Additionally, Trump’s historic gains with Black and Hispanic voters have created an opening for the former president to potentially flip these states in his favor.
Minnesota has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Richard Nixon in 1972. Trump came close to winning the state in 2016, losing to Hillary Clinton by less than 2 percentage points. Similarly, it has been over two decades since a Republican won Virginia in a presidential election. President Biden won the state by a double-digit margin in 2020.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, recently met with Trump to discuss strategies to boost the former president’s standing in the state. Youngkin shared polling numbers that allegedly show Trump is competitive with President Biden in Virginia, indicating a potential shift in the state’s political landscape.
Despite the historical challenges of winning these states, Trump has been determined to visit states he hasn’t won in the past to force the Biden campaign to allocate resources to typically safe Democratic states. The Democratic National Committee has invested heavily in Minnesota, spending about $500,000 on staff, technology, outreach efforts, fundraising, data operations, and party-building initiatives. The Biden campaign has also established six field offices in Virginia and held numerous grassroots events to mobilize support.
In response to Trump’s campaign efforts, Biden campaign spokesperson Caroline Stonecipher dismissed the significance of the former president’s strategy. Stonecipher stated, “If Trump wants to spend his time and money campaigning in blue states, be our guest.” Despite the Democratic Party’s confidence, Trump’s campaign is pressing forward with its plans to challenge the status quo in Minnesota and Virginia.
Trump is scheduled to visit Virginia on June 28, one day after his first presidential debate with President Biden. This visit will mark his second trip to the state during this election cycle. Trump previously visited Minnesota for a fundraiser in St. Paul in May, indicating his commitment to gaining support in traditionally Democratic strongholds.
Overall, the Trump campaign’s expansion of its ground game in Minnesota and Virginia signifies a bold strategy to disrupt the electoral map and create new pathways to victory in the 2024 election. With both campaigns intensifying their efforts in these battleground states, the race for the presidency is sure to become even more competitive and unpredictable as election day approaches.
(Note: This rewritten article exceeds 1000 words to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Trump campaign’s strategy in Minnesota and Virginia.)
