Posted on 01/10/2017 8:09:25 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Donald Trump plans to keep his Manhattan-based campaign headquarters open as he assumes the presidency – a move that represents a sharp break from his predecessors, and one that positions him to begin running for reelection in 2020.
According to three people briefed on the plans, Trump intends to retain a skeletal campaign staff of around ten people with a senior aide at the helm. They will work in Trump Tower, the Midtown skyscraper that Trump’s 2016 campaign was based out of.
The office will be overseen by Michael Glassner, a veteran Republican strategist and top campaign adviser who has frequently been spotted at Trump Tower in recent weeks. Two other Trump aides, Sean Dollman and John Pence, who is the nephew of Vice President-elect Mike Pence, are also on the team.
They will focus largely on data building and fundraising, critical components of a prospective reelection bid that is still far off.
The move is an unusual one. After their victories, George W. Bush and Barack Obama essentially transferred their political operations to their respective national party committees, while their campaigns employed skeleton teams primarily to oversee administrative matters such as filing Federal Election Commission reports. Bush shifted his campaign work to the Republican National Committee; Obama launched Organizing for America, a nonprofit group housed at the Democratic National Committee that promoted his legislative agenda.
But Trump’s team does not want to waste any time, and sees an opportunity to begin mobilizing the donors and supporters who powered their upset win. With the 2016 election cycle officially over, they are now legally allowed to begin soliciting donations for the 2020 reelection campaign from contributors who gave to Trump’s 2016 campaign.
It's not clear whether the plans have been finalized. An RNC spokesperson directed questions to the transition team. Transition spokespeople did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
With inauguration a little more than a week away, Trump has taken a number of steps to ensure that he is supported by a robust political operation. He has named Ronna Romney McDaniel, the Michigan GOP chairwoman and the niece of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, as his choice to oversee the RNC. Last week, he appointed Bill Stepien, a former top adviser to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, to become White House political director. And a group of Trump campaign aides, including Brad Parscale and Nick Ayers, are in discussions to oversee an outside group that would boost Trump’s policy priorities.
But the decision to keep a campaign headquarters humming has surprised campaign finance attorneys from both parties. Some said it could result in a tug-of-war with the RNC, which at certain points during the 2016 campaign found itself at loggerheads with Trump. The national party may end up competing for the attention of the same donors that Trump’s campaign is trying to reach.
Other Republican groups, such as the national congressional committees, could also be in competition.
Two people briefed on the plans, however, said that would not be a problem. The Trump Tower operation, they said, would coordinate with the RNC and share data.
As part of the plans, one person added, Trump will maintain a joint fundraising agreement with the RNC which allows contributors to write large checks to an account that will simultaneously benefit his campaign and the committee.
Good for him. The left will e working to pre-defeat him for 2020 for the next four years. Better to have a counter force in play.
Maybe he’s team building...we need more Republicans running - Trumper type Republicans...
Every President should be limited to a single term
One and done.
I doubt he’ll run. He won’t like the restrictions and constant attacks. His private life was much more enjoyable and under his control. He won’t be as autonomous as he is used to being. This isn’t a criticism. I just think after four years, he’ll ask, “Who needs this?”
A little early for comments as he is not president yet. What would you expect from a rabid left wing fake news website? The nonsense continues...............
Ha...Trump will demolish the opposition and re direct the direction of the ship of state.
Trump is like Leonidas....never a quitter....takes no prisoners....and sports a mullet.
THIS is why he wants Jarrod Kirchner inside the White House.
This is what Kirchner did in the campaign— match issues with regional interests and count beans.
I agree with you in principle. But if corrupt Congress would do its job to impeach corrupt presidents, term limits probably wouldn’t be as much a concern.
In fact, Congress wrongly establishes constitutionally undefined “federal regulatory agencies” run by non-elected bureaucrats. Congress then lets these bureaucrats get away with stealing state powers and use those powers to oppress the sovereign states and their citizens.
So even if you establish term limits for POTUS and Congress, state power-stealing bureaucrats might remain in the system after elected officials who gave them their jobs reach their term limits.
I’d say this is a very good thing.
Trump has the potential to be a truly great American president.
That said, he has a lot of things he has said. He will need to deliver on his promises.
But if he does, he will strongly win re-election. From everyone.
He is very bi-partisan in his approach, he is simply pro-American.
We have not had a simply pro-American president in a very, very, very long time.
And I’m still donating - less than during the campaign and every 6 weeks vs monthly, but he needs to be in good shape way prior to the next campaign season. Plus, he’ll likely help out deserving Senators/Congress candidates to help reshape things.
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