Trump’s travels in Southern states are more about money than votes
Analysts say precious time being frittered away in areas that already lean red
Less than 80 days before the election, battling Hillary Clinton in several battleground states, Donald Trump is spending time in ... the reddest of red states, Texas and Mississippi. The reason: money. Beyond fundraisers, Trump scheduled campaign events in Texas and Mississippi this week, while some Republican analysts said he’d be better off working in states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania.
“The schedule is so valuable,” said Austin Barbour, a Republican consultant based in Jackson, Miss. “You only have so many hours in the day and so many days left.”
Trump is likely to win big in Texas and Mississippi, but these Republican states feature GOP donors with open wallets, particularly the Lone Star state of Texas.
“It’s a reliable ATM for candidates,” said Sarah Isgur Flores, a Republican consultant based in Houston.
Candidates from both parties make money runs to friendly states — Clinton spent time this week in California, a solidly Democratic state in November.
Skeptics said the fundraisers are not the problem so much as the rallies and events surrounding them, and the time it takes to conduct them.
In addition to fundraisers in Texas on Tuesday, Trump met with a group of mothers whose children have been killed by immigrants who were in the country illegally, held a town hall with Sean Hannity and gave a rally speech where he blasted Clinton and touted his plans to secure the border.
Barbour said Texas is not the best state for that kind of event.
“Look, Arizona is in play,” Barbour said. “Go to Phoenix, go to Tucson.”
Throughout his campaign, Trump has added public rallies and other events to fundraising trips. That includes forays into blue states such as Connecticut, which has Republican money even though it tends to vote Democratic.
Trump’s schedule includes plenty of battleground states.
Before a rally Wednesday night in Mississippi, the GOP nominee held a campaign event in the battleground state of Florida. The end of the week brings visits to swing states such as New Hampshire, Nevada and Iowa.
Time is getting tight, analysts said.
“Fundraising is driving the schedule, and that is understandable, even this late in the summer,” said Matt Mackowiak, an Austin-based Republican consultant. “But there is simply no excuse for wasting time with public rallies in Texas and Mississippi with less than 80 days left.”
“The schedule is so valuable. You only have so many hours in the day and so many days left.” Austin Barbour, Republican consultant