In the run-up to the 2024 election, Donald Trump’s campaign is veering away from its 2020 approach, seeking to streamline operations by cutting back on staff and expenses such as physical offices. This new strategy aims to focus on data modeling, microtargeting, and leveraging support from wealthy conservative groups to secure the 270 electoral votes needed for victory in November.
A senior Trump adviser explained to CNN, “(The) ability to work with outside groups on field work alleviates the need to have the same size staff footprint as in previous cycles, allowing us to retain a greater share of resources for advertising and paid voter contact programs than in past cycles.”
Among the crucial outside groups supporting Trump’s campaign is Turning Point Action, which will host Trump in Michigan this weekend for the second time in as many weeks. This group, an affiliate of Turning Point USA founded by Trump ally Charlie Kirk, is planning to invest $108 million in a get-out-the-vote effort in key battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
The “Chase the Vote” program, developed by Turning Point Action, focuses on increasing voter turnout in areas where Trump struggled in the 2020 and 2022 elections. It relies on hired “ballot chasers” who are tasked with building relationships with low propensity right-leaning voters and ensuring they cast their ballots on election day.
While some Democratic operatives have criticized Trump’s campaign for its limited on-the-ground staff, Trump’s team members defend their approach, highlighting the effectiveness of relational organizing and the grassroots efforts of groups like Turning Point Action. This strategy, while unconventional, aims to engage with hundreds of thousands of voters in pivotal states and drive up turnout in areas with Republican support.
Advisers acknowledge the risks of relying on outside groups and unconventional tactics, noting the financial challenges faced by the Trump campaign in keeping up with fundraising efforts. Despite concerns from Republican operatives about the lack of traditional campaign infrastructure, the Trump team remains confident in their innovative approach to winning the 2024 election.
