AP: Presidential battleground states were supposed to be swarming with Republican Party workers by now.
"We've moved on to thousands and thousands of employees," party chairman Reince Priebus declared in March, contrasting that with the GOP's late-blooming staffing four years earlier. "We are covering districts across this country in ways that we've never had before."
That hasn't exactly happened, a state-by-state review conducted by The Associated Press has found.
With early voting beginning in less than three months in some states, the review reveals that the national GOP has delivered only a fraction of the ground forces detailed in discussions with state leaders earlier in the year. And that is leaving anxious local officials waiting for reinforcements to keep pace with Democrat Hillary Clinton in the states that matter most in 2016.
To be sure, the national party actually has notched record levels of fundraising over the past few years and put together a much more robust ground game than it had in 2012. But officials acknowledge the real competition isn't their past results or the chronically cash strapped Democratic Party. It's Clinton and what GOP party chairman Priebus calls "that machine" of Clinton fundraising.
Some examples of Republican shortfalls: Ohio Republicans thought they were going to see 220 paid staffers by May; in reality there are about 50. Plans for Pennsylvania called for 190 paid staffers; there are about 60. Iowa's planned ground force of 66 by May actually numbers between 25 and 30. In Colorado, recent staff departures have left about two dozen employees, far short of the 80 that were to have been in place.
8 comments:
Keep in mind, this is coming out of the AP, house organ for the Demos.
Also keep in mind this is what they were saying 4 months ago when (someone) was supposedly out-hustling The Donald for all those delegates.
Explosion to follow.
I may be wrong. But, I think the "ground game" in this current culture has been made of little importance w/ the "air attack." And, not paid ads, but free media. In the final quarter[Sept/Oct] paid ads will be needed by Trump in targeted areas. And, the "ground game" will be desperately needed by Clinton. But, anger and fear will get Trump folks out w/o the ground game. Anger and fear are powerful motivators in the short run, then it turns really ugly. If Trump wins as I expect he will, he has a YUUUUUGE problem having to actually deal w/ that anger and anxiety. I see him winning and being a classic, disappointing, one term prez.
Cue Baghdad ed!
Oh, thanks tons.
In all point of fact, though, that may be true. Trump was noted for the air attack in the primaries and many conventional minds were skeptical.
It's also the Whig numbers they mention, those "paid staffers" that jack up everybody's campaign costs. It's why the Ozark Mafia needs the big funds - all the hangers-on and yes-men.
He may be a 1 termer, but I think that will be age-related - he did turn 70 on Flag Day. But, on the subject of anger and fear, that's used in most campaigns. I'll bet a lot of people said the same about Reagan and, for that matter, Nixon.
YMMV
This is K-Street analysis. If it was golden; then Trump wouldn't be that close. The GOP definitely needs a ground game (Romney blew it big time in this area), but getting the message out before early voting has been the problem for decades now. Trump's message is getting out, like it or not. In addition; the message that Hillary Clinton is not only corrupt, but above the law, is getting out. The result is tighter polling at this stage of the race not seen for quite some time.
Still, the ground game is where Dems cheat. It needs to be respected.
In order for Trump to hire somebody he has to be badgered and threaten the loss of permits.
Is Trump running his campaign like he would the construction of one of his developments?
No, but I do think he may be running his campaign more like his successful primary campaign rather than the last 2 R Presidential campaigns.
PS Think you meant "threatened with the loss of permits."
If wrong, I will happily stand corrected.
Leland said...
This is K-Street analysis. If it was golden; then Trump wouldn't be that close. The GOP definitely needs a ground game (Romney blew it big time in this area), but getting the message out before early voting has been the problem for decades now. Trump's message is getting out, like it or not. In addition; the message that Hillary Clinton is not only corrupt, but above the law, is getting out. The result is tighter polling at this stage of the race not seen for quite some time.
Still, the ground game is where Dems cheat. It needs to be respected.
I think the point of Crooked Hillary (hope he keeps hitting that) is well taken.
As for the ground game, that was where (someone else) cheated a few months ago. You may well be right and Trump, with a lifetime of exposure to NY politics, is doubtless aware of what goes on, but the thinking seems to be the old wheeze of your opponent digging a hole.
After all, we had Comey, now Lynch, and, Hillary is still doing her John Banner defense.
The firm of Ivanka, Manafort, Lewandowski, and scavino seems to know what it's doing.
Stay tuned.
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