USA TODAY International Edition
Trump Jr., Guilfoyle are ‘rock stars’
GOP base fired up to see possible future of party
INWOOD, W.Va. – They’re the next best thing to Donald Trump and they’re drawing the Republican base this midterm election with rock-star appeal.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle’s campaign tour 2018 has been equal parts fundraising circuit, voter turnout operation and pump-up for the president’s 2020 re-election.
And if you ask supporters here, it’s also a glimpse at a future Trump Jr. presidential campaign, complete with a warm-up act from his potential first lady.
One Monday in West Virginia, Guilfoyle, 49, sashayed onto the stage to the excited applause of more than 300, as people jumped up to take photos of the former Fox News host.
“We love you Kimberly!” a woman shouted from the crowd.
“I love you toooo, I love you soooo much, that Don Junior and I are here today to make sure that we get the vote out in West Virginia,” Guilfoyle replied.
The couple – their relationship became public this summer – would visit five states and do 16 events by the time the week was over, according to political adviser Andrew Surabian.
Guilfoyle left Fox to become vice chair of both America First Policies, a pro-Trump advocacy group, and super PAC America First. Trump Jr., is the president’s son and executive vice president of the Trump Organization. The pair, who got together after Trump Jr. split with Vanessa Trump, the mother of his five children, in March, have pounded the campaign trail hard, sometimes hitting rallies and fundraisers for multiple candidates in one day.
On this Monday morning they were taking the stage on behalf of Patrick Morrisey, the state’s attorney general who is locked in a tight race with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
Alice Stewart, a Republican strategist for Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign, said when she first heard the new couple was out on the trail, she was “skeptical.” But now she believes the pair are effective at connecting with base voters.
“It’s easy to sit in Washington, D.C., or New York or on the coast and make light of the influence of Don Jr. and Kimberly,” Stewart said. “But when you go to these events, where they are, and you see the reaction and the reception that they receive from GOP voters, you see that there’s a value in what they’re doing.”
And despite President Donald Trump’s frenetic rally schedule, he can’t be everywhere.
“It’s as close as many people are going to come to rubbing shoulders with the president,” said Ari Fleischer, a former press secretary for President George W. Bush.
Fleischer said there’s always an allure around children of presidents. He pointed to Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former President Bill Clinton who is often floated as someone with a political future. Last week, the former first daughter said she’d be open to running for office if “someone were to step down or retire.”
Guilfoyle spoke at an event for the Republican Jewish Coalition in mid-October, where Fleischer is a board member. Trump Jr. attended as a guest.
“They’re a hot ticket,” Fleischer said. “Republicans, faithful treat them like rock stars.”
Democrats also know Guilfoyle’s appeal. She was married to Gavin Newsom when he was mayor of San Francisco. Despite registering as a Republican at 18, Guilfoyle said in a 2004 Harper’s Bazaar spread titled “The New Kennedys” she would vote for Newsom for president. Newsom is now the Democratic nominee for California governor and is expected to win.
The president and his allies worry that with President Trump not on this year’s ballot, some of his most enthusiastic supporters won’t show up to the polls.
“We really emphasize that if you don’t vote on Nov. 6, it’s a vote essentially against President Trump because you’re allowing the Democrats to … get in there and take away and reverse all the accomplishments that the president’s been able to achieve,” Guilfoyle told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview with the pair ahead of the morning rally.
Democrats have already shown record levels of enthusiasm during special elections and primaries and Republicans acknowledge the left will be voting on Election Day, no matter what. So the GOP is trying to boost excitement from their core supporters even without Trump on the ballot.
Democrat strategist Isaac Baker shrugged off the impact they would have on tight races.
“I think if you’re attracted or repulsed by their message, either way, you’ve already made up your mind at this stage of the election,” Baker said. “The voters we’re fighting for at this stage of the game couldn’t probably care less about Don Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle.”
“I think most of this is about rallying the base,” said GOP strategist Josh Holmes, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s former chief of staff and campaign manager, when USA TODAY asked if the pair could help with independent voters. “The folks that typically turn out at these rallies at this point are the faithful.”