According to an internal campaign memo, the Trump campaign is making bold moves by expanding its ground game in Minnesota and Virginia. This strategic shift is putting the Biden campaign on its heels, especially in states that have historically been Democratic strongholds.
CBS News obtained a memo on Friday revealing that the campaign is currently in the process of acquiring leases for eight “Trump Force 47” offices in Minnesota and 11 campaign offices in Virginia.
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The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee’s grassroots volunteer canvassing program joined forces to create “Trump Force 47.” That’s the moniker given to this collaborative effort.
The campaign has expanded its operations by hiring additional staff to oversee its ground game in Virginia and Minnesota, while also putting together new teams. Along with this, the campaign has set up new offices to further strengthen its presence.
According to a memo written by James Blair, the political director of the Trump campaign, adding Minnesota and Virginia to the map can provide “at least 12 additional pathways to 270.” This move is seen as a strategic decision by the campaign to increase their chances of winning the election.
According to reports, Trump is focusing on flipping Minnesota and Virginia in the upcoming election. Apparently, internal campaign polls have indicated that Biden’s favorability is slipping in those states, and Trump’s recent gains with Black and Hispanic voters may provide an opportunity for him to gain ground. Trump seems to be targeting these states as potential battlegrounds in his bid to return to the White House.
Minnesota has not been won by a Republican since Richard Nixon in 1972. Although in 2016, Donald Trump was close to turning the state red, he ultimately lost to Hillary Clinton by less than 2 percentage points.
Virginia has not been won by a Republican in a presidential election for more than 20 years. In the 2020 election, Mr. Biden claimed a double-digit victory in the state.
Last week, Republican Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin had a meeting with Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Northern Virginia. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss ways to improve Youngkin’s political standing in the state. During the meeting, Youngkin shared polling data indicating that Trump is a strong contender against Biden in Virginia.
Trump has been actively visiting states he didn’t win in the past to force Biden’s campaign to spend resources in what are usually considered safe states for his re-election, despite their respective electoral histories.
The Democratic National Committee has allocated roughly $500,000 in funding towards Minnesota in preparation for the upcoming election. This investment will cover a variety of areas, including staffing, technology, outreach efforts, email fundraising, data and operations infrastructure, and party-building initiatives. According to a spokesperson from the DNC, the Trump campaign’s tactics in Minnesota have had no bearing on their own approach.
Virginia has become a vital battleground for the upcoming US presidential election, and the Biden campaign is taking it seriously. They have established six field offices in the state and conducted numerous grassroots events to connect with voters.
According to a statement made by Biden campaign spokesperson Caroline Stonecipher on Friday evening, “If Trump desires to use his time and resources to campaign in blue states, he is welcome to do so.”
On June 28th, President Trump is scheduled to visit Virginia – just one day after his first presidential debate with Mr. Biden. This will mark his second visit to the state during this election cycle, following his first visit to Minnesota for a fundraiser in St. Paul back in May.
