Politico is reporting that the Trump campaign does not believe the odds are in the former businessman’s favor when it comes to winning Michigan in 2020. Though Trump considered his win in Michigan to be one of his great achievements of the 2016 race, the bearish predictions seem to be yet another sign that the upcoming presidential election will be an uphill battle for the former Apprentice star.
The grim forecasts in Michigan mirror other polls that suggest that Trump is losing support in key rust-belt communities. As reported by The Inquisitr , Republican operatives in Wisconsin are similarly worried about Trump’s odds in their state.
Since the midterm elections in Michigan did not go well for conservatives, some Republican operatives are questioning whether it would be a better strategy to go after states like Minnesota and New Hampshire, where the polling looks to be more promising.
However, others maintain that though the Michigan numbers are not great, it is far from a lost cause.
“It’ll be tough,” said Greg McNeilly, a veteran GOP strategist in Michigan. “Trump is the underdog.”
In light of the poor poll numbers, several GOP leaders met at the biennial Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference to discuss their strategy for the state and country at large. Prominent conservative figures such as Vice President Mike Pence and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy were among the attendees.
It has been reported that much of their focus will likely be on Wayne County, a liberal population center encompassing the Detroit metro area. Though Hillary Clinton won the county in 2016, Trump was able to eat away at a sizable amount of her support. If Democrats could win back those votes that were lost by Clinton, but won by Obama, it is likely that Michigan could turn blue once more.
Republicans also worry that Democrats will be eager not to make the mistakes suffered three years ago, and campaign heavily in Michigan, in addition to the other rust belt states.
That said, not all Republican strategists are as gloomy with their forecasts. For example, Jamie Roe, a top Republican strategist in the state, has laughed off downbeat predictions, claiming that the blue-collar workers in his residency of Macomb county are overwhelmingly supporting Trump.
“I can tell you this: the president is stronger today than he was in 2016 in Macomb County,” said Roe. “I guarantee he will do better in Macomb County and I fully expect the president will be there before this campaign is over.”
The vice president is also planning on visiting many counties in Michigan.
“I think the vice president, as a Midwestern governor, was helpful to the ticket in Midwestern states that flipped in 2016,” said Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short.
“I think there’s no doubt he’ll be spending a lot of time here heading into 2020,” said Short. “There will be plenty more trips here in Michigan.”
