President Donald Trump plans to ratchet up his mid-term campaign schedule in the coming weeks with stops in at least six states over the next six weeks but so far has made no plans to visit Connecticut.
The president’s schedule – outlined to reporters on a conference call – would take him to North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Kentucky and Tennessee for at least eight rallies and 16 fundraising events. Other stops are likely over the next six weeks.
The names of two White House officials speaking on the conference call were withheld at the request of the White House press office that arranged the telephone briefing and asked that they be identified as “a person familiar with the president’s thinking.”
Trump, they say, is planning an aggressive effort for Republican candidates in the mid-term elections in November with a focus on raising money, holding rallies and otherwise supporting efforts to retain the majority in the U.S. House, add to the majority in the U.S. Senate, and assist Republicans running for governor in the states.
He has already helped raise $227 million this cycle for the Republican National Committee and another $75 million for Republican campaign committees for the U.S. Senate, House and governor races. He has also held events across the country – including a stop today in West Virginia.
“He takes the role of party leader and chief fundraiser very seriously,” the person familiar with the president’s thinking said.
Connecticut was not mentioned during the conference call but the White House sources cautioned against reading too much into such an omission as more events are planned before the November election. The president’s travel schedule is being kept as flexible as possible as they consider where Trump’s efforts can be maximized. They noted that is often difficult to know how competitive House races may or may not be until later in the fall when polls are taken and campaign fundraising and organization can be more readily accessed.
Meanwhile, Trump did weigh in on Connecticut’s gubernatorial race – throwing his support behind Republican Bob Stefanowski immediately after he won the Republican primary.
“It is about time that Connecticut had a real and talented Governor. Bob Stefanowski is the person needed to do the job. Tough on crime, Bob is also a big cutter of Taxes. He will win in November and make a Great Governor, a major difference maker. Bob has my total Endorsement!” Trump wrote on Twitter on August 15.
Stefanowski faces Democrat Ned Lamont in the governor’s race, which the Cook Political Report rates as a “toss up.” Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy, a Democrat, did not seek reelection.
The Cook Political Report does not see a competitive contest in Connecticut for Congress, with all listed as solid Democratic holds. Incumbent Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, is being challenged by Matthew Corey, a Republican businessman, who started a high-rise window cleaning company in 1990 and opened a bar in 2002.
In the House races, incumbent Democrats John Larson, Rosa DeLauro, Joe Courtney and Jim Himes are expected to win re-election, and in the 5th District, Democrat Jahana Hayes is expected to defeat Republican Manny Santos, according to the Cook Political Report.
Most of the states that Trump plans to visit in the next six weeks have more competitive races than Connecticut. Senate Democrats up for re-election in West Virginia, Missouri and North Dakota are considered “toss-up” races by the Cook Political Report – as is the Republican incumbent in Nevada. Tennessee has closely contested races for open seat for U.S. Senate and governor.
Meanwhile, he has also not announced plans for mid-term campaign stops over the next six weeks in Michigan, New York, California, Minnesota or Texas – all states with a number of contested House and Senate races.