Trump Campaign’s Volunteer Recruitment Strategy Examined

Dean Cottle regularly engages in door-to-door canvassing in Georgia, urging residents to support Donald Trump in the upcoming US election. He employs a familiar campaign message, asking, “What do you have to lose?” and asserting, “Our economy has suffered under the policies of this administration. The immigration is really causing problems.” Cottle, a long-standing supporter of the former president, serves as a “captain” within the Trump Force 47 program. This initiative by the Republican Party aims to mobilize thousands of supporters in battleground states, transforming them into a grassroots force for Trump. However, some Republicans in Georgia, identified as a crucial swing state, have expressed reservations regarding the Trump campaign’s significant and supplementary dependence on external third-party organizations. These groups are relatively new to the practice known as “the ground game,” which encompasses highly personalized efforts like door-to-door visits, phone calls, and distributing flyers to engage every potential voter. This approach marks a significant departure from previous elections and even from the Trump campaign’s initial strategy during the primary season. This new coalition has also directed its attention toward “low-propensity voters”—individuals who exhibit lower levels of political engagement—instead of primarily targeting the established Trump loyalist base. Some Republicans have deemed this decision to be a risk for Trump. Nevertheless, the conventional norms of political campaigning have historically not applied to the former president. Jimmy Centers, a Republican strategist based in Iowa, commented, “President Trump is a unicorn.” He further elaborated, “He has the ability to announce a rally 24 hours out and get tens of thousands of people… He brings people out who are otherwise very difficult to reach. I would caution everyone who’s looking at how he approaches his organization relative to past candidates.” The Trump Force 47 website offers various volunteer opportunities, including participation in phone banks, virtual training sessions, and canvassing activities across crucial battleground states. Mr. Cottle enrolled in the program after seeing a Facebook advertisement and subsequently completed a one-hour training course to attain the rank of “captain” at the local campaign office. An application guides him to specific locations within Fayette County, his residential area, where he proceeds “house to house, getting commitments from people.” As of October 28, nearly three million votes have been cast early in Georgia. Polling data indicates a virtual tie between Trump and Harris within the state. However, it remains uncertain whether the campaign is effectively recruiting a sufficient number of volunteers in Georgia at an adequate pace, and if it is successfully motivating them to dedicate the extensive, yet essential, hours required to secure victory in an election with such narrow margins. The Trump campaign did not provide a response to the BBC’s inquiry regarding its ground game operations in Georgia. Judith Hannon, who was present at a Trump rally in Duluth, reported no difficulty in locating volunteer opportunities for Trump in either 2016 or 2020 via Georgia’s Republican organizational structure. Nevertheless, she stated that this year, the process for involvement was ambiguous. Gerald Cambor, aged 49, became aware of Trump Force 47 during an event for the former president in Cobb County on October 15. Mr. Cambor had not previously participated in politics until he became a supporter of Trump, influenced by his economic policies. He is now highly motivated to see him return to the White House. However, by the point he finished his “captain” training and installed the campaign’s application, only 11 days remained until election day. “It would have been better if I found it sooner,” Mr. Cambor remarked. The Trump campaign has largely entrusted its ground game operations to two newly established and notable organizations: Turning Point Action, which functions as the political division of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, and Elon Musk’s America PAC. Nevertheless, these organizations lack the extensive experience that more conventional and established campaign groups possess in mobilizing voters. Furthermore, their methodologies differ. The US Department of Justice recently cautioned Musk that his commitment to provide $1 million (£770,000) daily to a registered voter in Pennsylvania who signs a petition with his PAC could potentially be unlawful. Additionally, Musk is facing a lawsuit from prosecutors in Philadelphia. He maintains his innocence regarding any misconduct. Politico reported that Turning Point Action and America PAC seem to have combined certain operations in Wisconsin, a key battleground state. However, Republicans in Georgia express skepticism regarding the effectiveness of this expansive coalition in establishing a sufficiently robust ground game. An anonymous Republican operative, who collaborates with politicians in Georgia and requested not to be identified to speak candidly about Trump’s volunteer efforts, stated, “There’s no central mission to their ground game” in Georgia. The operative added, “It just seems like they have places for people to go to feel like they’re a part of (something)… But there’s no real, organised, get-out-the-vote effort.” Georgia’s Republican Governor, Brian Kemp, spearheads a significant grassroots initiative called Georgians First, which has allocated over $3 million to mobilize the Republican base for candidates across all electoral levels. Nevertheless, the governor clarified that this effort is not explicitly operating on behalf of Trump. Kemp informed the BBC, “I wouldn’t really be able to speculate on exactly what all they’re doing.” He concluded by stating, “President Trump’s campaign, they have just a different model.” North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher analyzes the presidential race in his bi-weekly US Election Unspun newsletter. Readers located in the UK can subscribe via this link, while those outside the UK can subscribe here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.