It’s a marked shift from when New Hampshire was among the bluish battlefields where Trump’s campaign boasted it could expand its electoral map as President Joe Biden faltered.
A post-debate survey showed Trump had erased Biden’s polling lead in the Granite State, leaving Republicans gleeful and Democrats spooked.
Today, New Hampshire stands as the latest sign of how Trump’s map is constricting in his run against Kamala Harris.
And Republicans here are privately bemoaning the Trump campaign’s lack of investment in this state where Democrats outnumber Republicans in field offices by 17 to 1.
“The Trump campaign does not appear to be matching or contesting” New Hampshire, said Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist from the state and former Trump administration appointee.
And his team has done little to expand its official footprint in New Hampshire since the primary.
“I’m not seeing any organized effort on Trump’s behalf, whatsoever,” said Fergus Cullen, a former New Hampshire GOP chair.
I’m not seeing a county headquarters.” Republicans affiliated with Trump’s campaign in New Hampshire argued they are fielding a strong grassroots effort for their party’s nominee in the state.
And there is some benefit to Trump staying away from New Hampshire — at least for another week.
Democrats have flooded the state with field offices and dispatched some of the party’s biggest stars — among them: California Gov.
That’s a significant change from when New Hampshire was one of the battleground states with blue votes, where Trump’s team claimed it could broaden the electoral map while President Joe Biden struggled. Days following the June debate, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley declared that the party had begun to “engage” in New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Virginia. Republican joy was evident and Democratic anxiety was sparked by a post-debate survey that revealed Trump had erased Biden’s lead in the Granite State.
In his campaign against Kamala Harris, Trump’s map is getting smaller, and New Hampshire is the most recent example of this. Three polls have indicated that the vice president is gaining ground on Trump outside of the margin of error. On Wednesday, she sought to strengthen her lead by promoting her new proposal for small business tax breaks at a campaign event held at a brewery on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. The left has been influenced by race raters. Meanwhile, Republicans in this state are privately lamenting the Trump campaign’s lack of involvement in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a margin of 17 to 1.
Republican strategist from New Hampshire and a former Trump administration appointee, Matthew Bartlett, stated that “the Trump campaign does not appear to be matching or contesting” the state.
Organizationally, there haven’t been any visits or stand-ins. They’re going to comply because they have institutional support,” Bartlett remarked. “In contrast, Democrats keep sending prominent individuals into the zone every week, even when they have an advantage. “.
Though Trump has won the GOP primary three times, his campaign is adamant that it is running in New Hampshire, where he has lost the last two general elections, most notably to Biden in 2020 by seven percentage points. Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, stated that the campaign is “maintaining an offensive posture” in this state as well as in the other swing states that lean blue: Minnesota and Virginia.
Leavitt stated, “They’re not in our target seven battleground states.”. However, New Hampshire is “unquestionably a state we think the president can flip red.”. “.
However, Harris attempted to defend Trump on Wednesday by praising her most recent economic plan in front of over 3,000 supporters who had gathered outside in the scorching sun for hours in order to see the Democratic nominee. She also criticized Trump’s positions on a variety of issues, including taxes and access to abortion.
Harris declared, “We will press on because this is a fight for freedom and for the future.”. Furthermore, I don’t need to explain the value of individual liberties to the people of New Hampshire—the state known as “Live Free or Die.”. “.
Democrats were worried about their position in a state that hasn’t gone red in a presidential election since 2000 and that pollsters predict will go blue in November, as Trump and his allies saw Harris’ visit as evidence.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, saying, “Comrade Kamala Harris sees there are problems for her campaign in New Hampshire because they disrespected it in their primary and never showed up.”. “I stood up for New Hampshire’s First-in-the-Nation Primary and I always will. I encourage my friends in New Hampshire to cast their ballots for Trump. “.
And on Wednesday morning, he called into a local radio program and promised to visit New Hampshire before the election.
“Winning this election depends heavily on this location. All of this might come down to New Hampshire. I’ll be present,” Trump declared.
Trump, however, did not record a date. Since North Dakota Governor’s visits, Trump’s campaign has not sent a well-known stand-in to encourage the troops here. Doug Burgum in April and Representative from Florida. Byron Donalds in May, defying demands from the state GOP, according to a person with knowledge of the talks who was given permission to remain anonymous in order to talk about the internal issue.
Furthermore, since the primary, his team hasn’t really done much to increase its official presence in New Hampshire. Leavitt stated that Trump’s campaign keeps its main office in Manchester and employs “several” paid workers there, though she would not say how many.
Fergus Cullen, the former chair of the New Hampshire GOP, stated, “I’m not seeing any organized effort on Trump’s behalf, whatsoever.”. “I don’t receive any automated or other phone calls. There does not appear to be a county headquarters. “.
In New Hampshire, Republicans connected to Trump’s campaign claimed they are mounting a formidable grassroots campaign for their party’s nominee. The campaign provides online and in-person volunteer training sessions out of its Manchester office. Advocates have participated in neighborhood processions and organized a boat parade on Lake Winnipesaukee last month.
Additionally, Trump’s decision to avoid New Hampshire, at least for another week, has some advantages. If the former president were to visit before Tuesday, he would be under pressure to weigh in on the highly competitive gubernatorial primary. According to polls, former state senator Chuck Morse, who is running on his allegiance to the outgoing president and shares an adviser with one of the super PACs, is faring behind former Sen. Kelly Ayotte.
However, following Tuesday, “it would be beneficial for him and [Ohio Sen. [JD Vance to appear,” stated Republican consultant in the state Sean Van Anglen.
“You have to be here; I’m hoping they can win in New Hampshire.”. Van Anglen stated that the state, which takes pride in putting even the most well-known candidates through the retail politics ringer, requires “you to go person to person, you to have surrogates here, the candidate’s got to be here a few times.”. “Even though it only consists of four electoral votes, it has been extremely important in a number of presidential elections. “.
When compared to the activities of his competitors, the Trump campaign’s lack of presence in New Hampshire is especially evident. Democrats have demolished some of the party’s biggest stars and swarmed the state with field offices, including California Gov. Governor of Michigan, Gavin Newsom. Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation, Gretchen Whitmer, and, over Labor Day weekend, Illinois Gov. Representative JB Pritzker of California and Rep. Ro Khanna will kick off fundraising events and lead canvasses. Biden made two trips to the state following the primary, in part as an act of contrition after the president chose not to put his name on the January ballot due to a fierce dispute between state and national Democrats regarding the scheduling of this year’s nominations. The president prevailed in the write-in race, which his supporters ran on his behalf.
And Harris’s turn to make the appeal came on Wednesday. She declared her love for the state, saying, “It’s so good to be back in New Hampshire,” while standing behind thick glass panels on a platform set up in the middle of a field surrounded by excited supporters. She also urged her supporters to view her campaign as the “underdog” against Trump.
Harris predicted that the race would remain close until the very end. But “we can handle the challenge.”. And in November, with your assistance, we will triumph. “.
