cover of episode The Trump Campaign’s Big Gamble

The Trump Campaign’s Big Gamble

2024/10/28
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The Daily

Key Insights

Why is the Trump campaign focusing on election integrity in Maricopa County?

Trump genuinely believes the 2020 election was stolen, driving efforts to scrutinize voter signatures and observe polling places.

Why are volunteers in Maricopa County spending so much time on election integrity?

They believe Trump won in 2020 and are motivated to fix what they think is a broken system.

Why does Trump emphasize immigration over the economy in his campaign?

He feels at a gut level that immigration motivates people more than any other issue, believing it was key to his 2016 win.

Why is Trump focusing on UFC and podcasts for his campaign?

His campaign data shows these platforms reach young, independent, and pessimistic male voters crucial to his strategy.

Why is the Trump campaign betting on turning out non-traditional voters?

They need to reach voters who don't usually vote, as traditional methods may not be effective enough with certain demographics.

Chapters

The Trump campaign's approach in the final week of the election focuses on a smaller, volunteer-driven ground operation compared to the Harris campaign's traditional and well-funded strategy. The Trump campaign emphasizes election integrity and relies heavily on volunteers in key swing states like Maricopa County, Arizona.
  • Trump campaign has less money and paid staff compared to the Harris campaign.
  • Maricopa County, Arizona, is a critical battleground where efforts to get voters to the polls could be decisive.
  • The Trump campaign's office in Maricopa County is heavily decorated with Trump-related memorabilia and relies on volunteers.

Shownotes Transcript

Warning: this episode contains strong language.

The presidential campaign is in its final week and one thing remains true: the election is probably going to come down to a handful of voters in a swing states.

Jessica Cheung,  a producer for “The Daily,” and Jonathan Swan, a reporter covering politics for The Times, take us inside Donald Trump’s unorthodox campaign to win over those voters.

Guest: 

  • Jessica Cheung), a senior producer of “The Daily.”
  • Jonathan Swan), a reporter covering politics and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily). Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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