7/5: Trump's campaign is looking to lose less, not win more

July 5, 2020

Does he have tricks up his sleeve?

"We don’t need 306 [electoral votes]. We just need 270," says a Trump campaign advisor.

Take the electoral votes in states Trump won in 2016 and subtract electors for Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- rust belt states that are sympathetic to Biden -- and Trump would still have 260.

The trouble for Trump is that "sure-thing" states offer softer support. The campaign is lobbing big money into former strongholds, such as Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. They're pouring more bucks into the Northeast's blue states, too, in hopes they can plug a hole made by losses in the midwest.

Biden is polling well, but sentiment is ephemeral. What will Trump's campaign do to push public opinion back his way?

Will it adopt Karl Rove-style tactics -- misleading via push polls or airing opponents' dirty linens in public?

Will it double up on fake news and stats on social media, possibly with the help of Russia and China?

Will it turn to outright voter fraud?

Most significant, perhaps: Will Democrats will come up with a canny defense as November draws closer?


https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/05/donald-trump-shrinking-electoral-map-348274