In a bold move, former President Donald Trump has shifted his focus to traditionally Democratic strongholds in the final week of the campaign, predicting victories in Colorado, New Mexico, and Virginia. Despite trailing badly in these states according to recent polls, Trump’s campaign is riding a wave of momentum, and he’s now talking about winning them all.
During a campaign stop in Las Vegas, Trump boasted about leading in key swing states like Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. He also claimed that his campaign is poised to win Colorado, a state he lost in both 2016 and 2020. Trump’s optimism is not limited to swing states, however. He’s also scheduled to visit New York’s Madison Square Garden this weekend, a deep blue stronghold that has not voted Republican since Ronald Reagan’s 1984 landslide.
Trump’s reasons for targeting these traditionally Democratic states are multifaceted. In Colorado, he’s focusing on the border crisis and the state’s efforts to remove him from the ballot earlier this year. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in his favor, but Trump believes that the controversy has galvanized support for his campaign among Colorado voters.
In New Mexico, Trump’s visit is partly aimed at boosting the Republican candidate in the state’s competitive 2nd Congressional District. GOP candidate Yvette Herrell has been a target of Trump’s efforts, and her re-election is seen as crucial to preserving the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Democrats fear that a Republican majority could also help Trump challenge the election results if he loses, a scenario that House Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly denied.
Virginia may be Trump’s best chance for a pickup among the four states. He was leading in the state before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and has gotten within 1 point of Vice President Kamala Harris in recent polls. Trump has the support of popular Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and his campaign is putting more resources into the state, including a rally in the Roanoke area on Saturday.
The campaign is also hoping to boost Republicans in competitive Virginia House districts and GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao. Virginia’s issues extend beyond the state’s borders, however, as state elected officials are attempting to remove 1,600 alleged noncitizens from voting rolls and are mired in court battles with Biden’s Department of Justice over the issue.
Trump’s decision to spend time outside of the traditional swing states is a risk, but his campaign is feeling confident enough to venture into blue territory. Former George W. Bush advisor Karl Rove has urged Trump to focus on the swing states, but Trump’s momentum and polling numbers suggest that his strategy could pay off.
At a rally in New York City, Trump and his allies sought to create an aura of inevitability, evoking Ronald Reagan’s 1984 landslide. Lara Trump, the Republican National Committee co-chair, referenced her father-in-law’s May rally in the Bronx, where he drew a large crowd. “Does anybody know the last time a Republican president campaigned in the Bronx? It was Ronald Reagan, and ladies and gentlemen, he turned New York red. I’m just saying,” she said.
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