The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) have launched a grassroots voter outreach effort in battleground states in response to what they describe as a “rigged” trial in New York in which the former president was found guilty of felony offenses. Donald Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in order to conceal non-disclosure payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels as part of a bid to influence the 2016 presidential election in which he was a candidate. His conviction was announced on May 30, prompting Trump to portray it as an attempt by his political foes to undermine his presidential comeback bid.
The RNC initiative aims to engage highly-targeted voters in key battleground states through a “neighbor-to-neighbor” organizing model, building on Trump’s successful early-state primary efforts. The strategy involves coordination with state and local Republican parties to ensure critical voter turnout for the November elections. The campaign aims to engage tens of thousands of volunteers as the former president gears up for a rematch with President Biden in November. Volunteers can become “Trump Force 47 Captains” or receive training as poll watchers, with coordination at the state, local, and precinct levels. Trump campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a joint statement that the campaign aims to “defend President Trump from Joe Biden and his band of corrupt liberals while supporting his mission to save our country from destruction.”
The new initiative comes as election reporting service Decision Desk released its first forecast for the 2024 presidential election, putting the odds of a win by former President Donald Trump at 58 percent. President Trump’s sentencing, set for July 11, will come just four days before the Republican National Convention, where he will be formally designated as the Republican presidential nominee. His legal team has vowed to appeal the verdict, while House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said that the U.S. Supreme Court should get involved and overturn the conviction, arguing that the circumstances of the case have led to an erosion of public faith in America’s justice system.
While there are no laws barring President Trump from running for the White House as a convicted felon, an overturned verdict before Election Day would likely boost his chances of victory. In response to the conviction, the Biden campaign said in a text message to supporters on Thursday that “there is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box.”
The former president has been under increased scrutiny in recent weeks, with reports of internal White House turmoil and concerns over his mental health. A recent poll by the Associated Press found that only 15 percent of Americans believe he should run again in 2024.
Despite this, Trump remains a powerful force in the Republican Party, with many of his supporters remaining fiercely loyal. Trump Force 47 aims to engage these voters in battleground states, using a grassroots approach to ensure critical turnout in the upcoming election. RNC chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement that “Trump Force 47 ensures we can always answer that question and immediately get people substantively involved in helping us win.”
