Trump's confidence about Texas vexing GOP insiders
by David M. Drucker
August 30, 2019 12:00 AM President Trump’s high confidence in winning Texas is vexing some Republican insiders, who fret that his 2020 campaign is unprepared to handle a generational challenge from the Democratic Party for control of the state’s critical 38 votes in the Electoral College.
The Democrats flipped two suburban Texas congressional districts and another dozen seats in the state house in the midterm elections, while Democrat Beto O'Rourke nearly ousted Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. GOP strategists with deep experience in Texas are bracing for the possibility of more turbulence next year, with some worrying that Trump’s top political officials in the state are ill-equipped for the competition. Others are pleased with the campaign’s Texas leadership, but question party strategy.
“Personnel are fine,†said a veteran Republican operative with Texas ties who requested anonymity to avoid publicly criticizing Trump or the Republican National Committee. “But
still don’t believe Trump headquarters understands [his] exposure in Texas.†Another GOP operative, who is based in Texas, said the party needs to update its pitch to voters to account for an electorate that is evolving and becoming less Republican.
“This is a very poor sign about a real and needed focus on diverse populations and areas of the state that deserve to have a different campaign approach than what we saw in 2018,†this operative said, referring to the leadership of “Trump Victory†in Texas, which is a joint effort of the Trump campaign and the RNC. There is virtually no scenario in which Trump wins reelection without Texas.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/trumps-texas-confidence-vexing-gop-insiders
