Associated Press
Donald Trump says he wants to hold a major campaign event at New York’s Madison Square Garden featuring Black hip-hop artists and athletes. His aides speak of making appearances in Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta with leaders of color and realigning American politics by flipping Democratic constituencies.
But five months before the first general election votes are cast, the former president’s campaign has little apparent organization to show for its ambitious plans.
The Trump campaign removed its point person for coalitions and hasn’t announced a replacement. The Republican Party’s minority outreach offices across the country have been shuttered and replaced by businesses that include a check-cashing store, an ice cream shop and a sex-toy store. And campaign officials concede they are weeks away from rolling out any targeted programs.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has struggled to navigate a messy transition into the general election plagued by staffing issues, his personal legal troubles and the “Make America Great Again” movement’s disdain for so-called “ identity politics.” There are signs of frustration on the ground, where Republicans believe Trump has a real opportunity to shift the election by cutting into President Joe Biden’s advantages with voters of color.
In recent years, the Republican National Committee invested big in community centers and minority outreach based on the belief that real relationships with voters, even those who typically don’t support Republicans, would make a difference on Election Day. Since taking over the RNC earlier in the spring, however, Trump’s team has dramatically scaled back such efforts.
The Trump campaign hired a national coalitions director in October 2023, almost a year after he launched his campaign. But the staffer, Derek Silver, departed in March without explanation, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions. Silver did not return multiple requests for comment and no replacement has been announced.
Trump’s advisers reject criticism that they’re not doing enough organizing or spending to reach minorities. James Blair, the campaign’s political director, said the campaign would not “broadcast” its spending or staffing levels, “but I assure you, it’s enough to ensure President Trump’s historic surge in support amongst Black and Hispanic voters sticks in November and beyond.”
The Trump campaign’s developing outreach strategy relies on using his celebrity and bombastic personality to create viral moments in communities of color that his advisers believe will have more impact than grassroots organizing or paid advertising alone. Advisers point to Trump’s appearances at an Atlanta Chick-fil-A, a New York bodega and a New York City police officer’s wake as examples of the strategy.
Joe Biden has been spending millions of dollars on ads targeting Black and Latino voters in presidential battleground states. That’s in addition to dozens of new office openings in minority neighborhoods. All the while, Biden’s team has frequently dispatched Vice President Kamala Harris, the nation’s first Black female vice president, and other prominent leaders of color to key states.
The Democratic president’s campaign points to record-low minority unemployment rates and education policies like funding for historically Black colleges and universities and student loan forgiveness, as well as Biden’s stance on civil rights policy.
“Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans proudly admitting that they have no real strategy to reach Black voters because they believe all they need is rap concerts and free chicken is only surprising if you haven’t paid attention to Trump’s fraudulent relationship to Black America for years,” said Jasmine Harris, the Biden campaign’s Black media director, who described Trump as “a fraud” who “takes every opportunity available to him to demean our community.”
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Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
17 comments
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 27, 2024 at 9:39 am
BUZZ BUZZ ….. BUZZ BUZZ:
Good Morn ‘Ting Sage Patriots,
The Earl Pitts American Fan Club’s Political Science Division intetupts your perusual of this artical to inform that you just read an AP artical and as such the artical is 95.237% “Dook 4 Brains Leftist Propaganda”.
BUZZ BUZZ ….. BUZZ BUZZ:
However, let your hearts not be troubled, and relax your political sphincters, secure in the fact that my Poly-Sci Division has prepared a short snyposis of “Subject Matter Political Truth” for all Sage Patriots (and “Transitioning Dook 4 Brains Leftys”) edification.
EARL DROPS TRUTH ON A GREATFULL NATION:
Fact is we have proven thru polling you can trust that 99.333% of America’s beloved Jews are going to vote Trump. And 94.87% of America’s beloved Blacks are going to vote Trump.
BUZZ BUZZ ….. BUZZ BUZZ:
The Earl Pitts American Fan Club’s Political Science Division now returns all Citizens to their regulary scheduled activities.
Thank you America,
Earl Pitts American
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 27, 2024 at 10:02 am
….. IN ADDITION,
Most of the usual Leftist Commenters, here and in all News Publications, have already abandoned their commenting due to having “Fully Transitioned” into “Sage Trump Voting Patriots”.
AS A RESULT:
The relatively few remaining Leftist Media Commenters have been ordered to work manditory overtime double-shifts to post under all those abandoned names of all those already transitioned posters to make it appear that the “Dook 4 Brains Left” in America is still relevant.
This is totally proven by an increased number of “Sage Patriot Posters” here and Nation-Wide.
Often we are so busy that as “Newly Transitioned Sage Patriots” we can not see the forest for the trees in the way the highly trained professionals at The Earl Pitts American Political Science Division can.
HEY ITS OUR JOB:
Thank you America and a shout-out to all our Newly Transitioned Sage Patriot Voters,
Earl Pitts American
Ocean Joe
April 27, 2024 at 9:57 am
Trump’s outreach: “What have you got to lose?”
At his failed casino in Atlantic City, he did not want people of color in ‘the front of the house.’
When someone shows you who they are….
Biden said of Obama: “he’s clean, he’s clean.”
Both would do well to focus on issues that benefit all of us instead of pitiful pandering based on race.
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 27, 2024 at 10:11 am
Is that still you, OJ, or have you already transitioned into “A Sage Patriot” ?
If you have already transitioned I, Earl Pitts American, suggest you start posting under “The Sweet Sweet Name Of ….. JOE OCEAN” !!!!!
Thanks my Besty Righty Joe Ocean,
Earl Pitts “Joe Ocean’s Besty” American
Impeach Biden
April 27, 2024 at 11:15 am
Agreed.
Impeach Biden
April 27, 2024 at 11:25 am
I’ll try this again as the scrubber erased the first attempt. I agree with Ocean Joe.
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 27, 2024 at 2:54 pm
Sage wisdom there Impeach,
SSsssshhhhhh …. just between you and me I am feeling our friend Joe Ocean has transitioned into a Patriot.
Thanks Impeach, EPA
Guam Might Tip
April 27, 2024 at 10:34 am
Of course Biden will come up with another BS story to try and connect with minority voters. Let’s see he claims he grew up in a Puerto Rico neighborhood at one time. What’s next? Will he say the first words out of his mouth were “Fweedom”? Maybe he will claim to listen to rap music when he drives his corvette around, if they let him still drive.
My Take
April 27, 2024 at 11:48 am
Trump does have an advantage: prejudice, sure–but no deep and abiding full-out hatred of black people.
Unlike so much of his MAGA.
Bidenomics
April 27, 2024 at 4:14 pm
Yup Republicans hate black people. Now how long ago was it that Ronald Reagan hire Colin Powell as the NSA? He rose from there. The Republican Party is inclusive of everyone that is a conservative. Next fear monger topic.
My Take
April 27, 2024 at 5:26 pm
Even the worst plantations had a few black overseers.
Rick Whitaker
April 28, 2024 at 11:02 pm
BIDENOMICS, how long did it take for you to think of powell? gop loves money. they see blacks as costing them money, so they go from there. some of the most racist people i have ever met ALL seem to be gop, is that a fluke? anyway, powell did not become a gop till 97. now , tell me what a conservative is. the gop is now broken and stolen by maga cultist, so who are you referring to, liz cheney? btw i HATE raygun. he is our country’s 2nd worse president and we all know who the worst is.
Confused
April 27, 2024 at 5:13 pm
Fraud. Hm everyone thinks Texas and Florida is the safe Haven’s
Fried Chikn
April 27, 2024 at 6:26 pm
Where’s your safe place, Portland?
Confused
April 27, 2024 at 8:03 pm
Why people see the united Nations like leftist
Why everyone thinks Russia is into Major investigations. Like everyone has teleconisis.
Anyone with a clear answer
And why are we always worried about Russian rich folks and allow crime to migrate
Rick Whitaker
April 28, 2024 at 11:06 pm
CONFUSED, let me remind you, russia is our #1 mortal enemy. confused, bye, go to russia, don’t come back.
Joe
April 29, 2024 at 2:50 pm
“Minority outreach” is an interesting euphemism for racism and xenophobia.