Trump’s focus on pleasing his base raises questions about reelection strategy - Polidicks

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-focus-on-pleasing-his-most-ardent-supporters-raises-questions-about-reelection-strategy/2018/12/28/b37d796a-09f1-11e9-85b6-41c0fe0c5b8f_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e3e56c4e052e President Trump’s headstrong refusal to reopen the federal government without new border wall funding has set him on a risky and defiant path for 2019, relying on brazen brinkmanship to shore up his base support and protect him ahead of a challenging year for his administration. The latest overtures in the wake of the midterm elections, which brought about sweeping Democratic gains and the end of GOP control of Congress, stand in stark contrast to the historical behavior of modern presidents, who have moved at least briefly toward the political center after being humbled at the ballot box. But Trump — counseled by a cadre of hard-line lawmakers and sensitive to criticism from his allies in the conservative media — has instead focused on reassuring his most ardent supporters of his commitment to the signature border pledge that electrified his followers during his 2016 presidential run even though it is opposed by a majority of voters. Some Republican pollsters have also been watching the president’s tactics with concern, noting that there is little evidence he has grown his electoral coalition after the 2016 election, when he won the White House despite losing the popular vote. Trump’s tactics stand apart from those of recent presidents who have endured midterm losses. Barack Obama in 2010, George W. Bush in 2006 and Bill Clinton in 1994 all expressed some self-awareness of voters’ dissatisfaction after watching their party lose control of the House. They subsequently spent time reaching out to the other side about bipartisan efforts, with varying records of success. Bush called his party’s stumble a “thumping” and Obama called the 2010 election “humbling” and a “shellacking.”

Dumb as shit lol. Your base will pretty much vote for you regardless. You're supposed to be pandering to marginal supporters. It's call "wining an election 101".

The plan is to be shady as fuck since they're getting away with it all over in the past few years, and sow more doubt over Twitter so he can reject the results if he loses. There will be another "crisis" on Fox like the migrant caravan that will disappear right after the election.

But Trump — counseled by a cadre of hard-line lawmakers and sensitive to criticism from his allies in the conservative media — has instead focused on reassuring his most ardent supporters of his commitment to the signature border pledge that electrified his followers during his 2016 presidential run even though it is opposed by a majority of voters Yes, please, keep doing that. You will surely win the election if you focus on the people who will vote for you, anyway. Don't stop doing this, Donny! Surefire way to win!

All this is going to do is make his base all the more violent and reproachful when he loses.

I think if there's any strategy to it, then it's this. I can't see Trump conceding an election in the event that he loses.

I am still somewhat hopeful that more are sworn to the Constitution rather than Trump, kicking his ass out if he does indeed lose.

The good news is, there are now a LOT of people who voted for him last go-'round that are now jaded as fuck, and as such may likely NOT vote for him again this next cycle.

I don't really believe this. When it comes down to it they will vote for Trump just to stop any Democrat from winning.

They will be outnumbered.

I feel like we'll see something similar to what we saw in the Senate this year, where red states turn redder and purple states lean blue because of the Independents and high turnout (e.g. upper midwest). Florida excluded, I think the Trump base there is as active as those in some red states.

Florida is where old people, who tend to lean GOP, go to die. Unfortunately for that state, they still vote before they kick the bucket.

I think it'll depend in whether or not those felons get their voting rights restored in time for 2020.

I thought Florida already granted it?

Bad mindset to have. Let me fix that for you. We will outnumber them. also, we already outnumbered them in the 2016 election and that did nothing we gotta push for reforms

Just 20k more in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania and we win.

if they're jaded, it's the Russian kind of jaded. Where they'll vote for him no matter what since they now think Trump was the only good option. And if the only good option is terrible, everything else is.

We now out number in the states that really matter. PA is turning well over into the blue side of things for the foreseeable future. Don't know if that'll last until the 2020 election, but it's a good sign at the moment.

That's true for some people, but Trumpgret is definitely a thing and I don't think anybody who was on the fence before will have been won over by his presidency thus far. It seems like his base can only dwindle at this point; he's so reprehensible and offputting that if you aren't already on the Trump train, chances are you never will be.

We can outnumber those traitors, but we need to be ready to fight because they will be too. If Trump tells his cultists not to recognize his loss there will be plenty among them willing to kill for him.

I hope the old adage of "We don't negotiate with terrorists" holds true, domestic or otherwise. Because that is what they literally would be if they resorted to violence to defend an illegitimate President.

The voters did, now it's up to the GOP controlled state government to actually implement it in time.

The elections boards are starting it on January 8th, ignoring GOP screaming and delays.