Trump thinks he can win without get-out-the-vote operation

American Thinker ^ | December 26, 2015 | Ed Straker

[2ndDivisionVet]

Donald Trump seems to think he has revolutionized political campaigns. Without spending much money, he is on top of the national polls but is behind in Iowa and losing ground according to some polls in New Hampshire. Trump is running a campaign without spending money on polling, paid advertisements, or get-out-the-vote efforts. He probably views it as cost-effective, but it may end up costing him the nomination.

His long-promised “next phase” defined by new spending, such as a wave of television commercials, has so far failed to materialize, week after week. His advisers have not revealed the existence of any pollsters on their staff or any advertising team. He has no real research operation to examine his own vulnerabilities or those of his opponents and, based on Federal Election Commission filings, little in the way of a voter contact operation to identify and turn out his supporters.

Mr. Trump had hurt himself in Iowa by not augmenting his news presence with a parallel effort to push his message through ads, mailers and phone banks. “Such an effort would have also inoculated him from attack,” he said....

[thecodont]

Then I noticed something. Trump never tweets about his strategy, his campaign status, his tactics, his plans or his ground game. He never talks about them. In fact, by bringing out periodic ‘schlong’ moments, he even guarantees he’s never asked about the nuts and bolts of his campaign.

Well, of course not. This is WAR!

Go Trump!

Prayers up for his protection.

[Fantasywriter]

‘Prayers up for his protection.’

Amen.

[Carthego delenda est]

“Instead of mailers that go into trash and or irritating phone calls , he mails out treasured Christmas cards that will be shared with friends, family and neighbors during the holidays.”

I kinda hate to say it, but the Christmas card I received from him was very unexpected really put a smile on my face. I used to get one from W. too, but after he was in office.

[x]

He neglects to mention the possibility that Team Trump may have the confidence of no longer needing any of it to win.

So did Team Romney.

No matter how confident you are, you can't let it get in the way of doing the ground work.

For one thing, a lot can happen between now and when people vote.

Also, if the Trump people can't even do the follow-up or follow-through during the campaign, it's an awful sign for what they'd be like in office.

[Vision Thing]

Well Team Santorum Iowa that defeated Team Romney Iowa is now working for Team Trump Iowa.

This team more than anyone else this year has the proven record of winning there.

Based on the new conditions on the ground, they more than anyone else should know what different levers to push, pull, or leave alone in Iowa 2016.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

The field is littered with the bones of those who underated Trump. I have a feeling he has a well thought out plan that will have the so called experts scraching their heads.

[Red Steel]

So perhaps our best move is to play along. O woe is us, Trump has no ground game! We're doomed!

Woe is them and they pretty much know it, except for few followers who live in fantasy land.

How do you think Trump has gotten those big time Iowa numbers that was leaked to the press? Yeah Trump is playing mind games with them, but the info is likely still true to make the Cruzers panicky. LoL. From all the thousands of Trump Iowa rally goers over the last 6 months they've been filling out little pledge cards like this in Iowa. This one is from NH.

These Trump pledge sheets are better than any poll that comes out of Iowa by far. They are solid tangible proof and are in big numbers that Trump has accumulated them, Cruz is behind the eight ball.

And oh look what is in the Breaking News now. A panicky Cruz camp running to Iowa. ;-)

[Fantasywriter]

You said it. When I read that Cruz’ volunteers were knocking on Iowan doors on Christmas Day, my first thought was, “desperation.”

Second thought was, “bad idea, on many levels.”

[CurlyDave]

...Trump hasn’t started what he promised, namely spending on traditional campaign expenditures such as internal polling, tv ads, blah, blah, blah...

What makes anyone think Trump doesn't have internal polling? Does he have to report it? I always thought one of the beauties of spending his own money is that he doesn't have to report what he does. And, internal polling is just that internal. Not for public consumption.

He points to the public polls when they favor him, and is silent on what he knows that represents a competitive advantage.

[Vision Thing]

Yes, you’re exactly correct! Others on this thread have mentioned his silence on his campaign’s tactics, so for all we know (including the author of this article), he could very well be spending on traditional campaign expenditures.

[nclaurel]

In Raleigh we stood from 4:00 to 7:30 when Trump’s rally began, we were in a crowd of thousands. People don’t stand hours in the cold with no intention of voting! The enthusiasm was outstanding and we talked to no one who was “just attending” but not planning to vote.

[Nachoman]

I think the only thing that will stop Trump is him getting complacent and just sitting on his lead.

[GilGil]

From what I see Huckabee and Rubio are going after Cruz. They are all fighting for second which leaves Trump free to solidify the top position.

Don’t know what Huckabee thinks he is doing but whatever.

[Red Steel]

Yes, they are fighting for 2nd. I don’t think there is much to worry about Iowa for Trump no matter what the polls say in January. Iowa usually gets only 120,000 caucus goers. Trump will at least double this number. Trump is on his way to get over 100,000 pledges to vote for him. For Cruz to even complete against Trump, he better triple what Santorum got in 2012, and I still don’t think that’s enough.

[GilGil]

I totally agree.

I see the same massive numbers voting for Trump. Why? Because if you know Trump he simply does not play second fiddle. Much as I love Trump, I would not like to work for him. When Trump is second in anything those working for him must be in a living hell when they fail to deliver. Trump is like a wrecking ball until he gets what he wants.

In a few days he is putting on a rally in Iowa which is supposed to be the largest he has put on and in the tens of thousands. It will be a show of strength.

I suspect going into the last few weeks before the Iowa caucuses, Trump will put on huge rallies in the tens of thousands and more.

No one knows what Trump’s plans are but knowing Trump he is not going to play to lose Iowa. He will carpet bomb the place and one of his blessings is that Cruz will be fighting Rubio and whoever else for second which leaves Trump free to fill the top spot void.

If Trump wins Iowa he will run the table in February and will pull away to the point of being uncatchable.

I do agree with you that we are about to see some numbers in Iowa that will leave people stunned especially the media which Trump has gelded and rendered irrelevant. To the media being irrelevant is the same as going bankrupt.

[GilGil]

Check this out. If you do not want to listen to the whole thing start at the 12 minute mark. Awesome!

[BobL]

He’s running a NATIONAL CAMPAIGN, no need to try to message some subset of states to put together 51% of the Electoral Votes. He’ll likely wind up with well over 70%, maybe over 80%.

The Republican elites simply NEVER CONSIDERED that type of campaign, so they figure it cannot work.

LOL!

[CPT Clay]

Rove, you magnificent bastard.

[SunkenCiv]

...he is on top of the national polls but is behind in Iowa and losing ground according to some polls in New Hampshire.

Not only that, his defeat in Iowa will lead to the collapse of his campaign everywhere, sez Bill Kristol. /s

I'm perfectly happy with either Trump or Cruz, but we've been seeing a LOT of water-carrying by the Partisan Media Shills, as well as CINOs/RINOs like Kasich and Bush. I don't think the Cruz lead in Iowa is real, I think it is spin.

Cruz is betting the farm (so to speak) on Iowa, and doing all the ground-game things like numerous small meetings. Iowa went with Santorum in 2012, and what happened after that? How viable is Santorum now? How reliable? How believable? And Huckabee won Iowa in 2008.

Cruz is no Santorum or Huckabee, but Iowa's primary voters don't have as much impact -- or as much discernment -- as is often claimed, y'know, when it's convenient.

There's also the "voodoo economics" moment:

• Ted Cruz:" No Interest" In Being Trump's VP
• Vander Plaats: Cruz Has 'Infrastructure' to Win Nomination, Select Conservative VP, Unite Base
• Quayle glad Bush didn't tap Trump for VP
• Jeb and Carly? Bush lets VP thinking slip in Iowa, saying 'I think she will be a great partner'