Swing State Republicans See Few Signs of Door-Knocking for Trump

LANSING, Mich. — Republican activists in key swing states have expressed concerns about the apparent lack of visible efforts from organizations assigned to mobilize infrequent voters for Donald Trump’s campaign. With less than 50 days remaining until the November 5 election, many party officials and activists are worried that Trump is depending heavily on external groups for an essential aspect of his campaign strategy.

In a shift this election cycle, Trump and the Republican National Committee chose to collaborate with outside organizations, including America PAC, which has backing from billionaire Elon Musk, to handle get-out-the-vote operations in several competitive states.

In interviews with numerous Republican officials from Michigan, North Carolina, and other battlegrounds, the general consensus is that they rarely, if ever, see canvassers from America PAC working in their areas. Just last week, America PAC switched its door-knocking partners in Arizona and Nevada, adding to the uncertainty surrounding their ground game effectiveness.

Nate Wilkowski, the field director for the Republican Party in Oakland County, Michigan, which is home to significant suburbs of Detroit, stated, “I haven’t seen anybody” from America PAC. He noted that no one had informed him about their presence in the county.

As turnout is expected to play a critical role in the election, the spotty performance of what was advertised as a well-organized operation raises eyebrows among party activists regarding its effectiveness. Trump’s campaign is closely watching a potential tight race against Vice President Kamala Harris and believes it has an advantage among voters who did not participate in the past two elections, making outreach crucial.

In Michigan, where Trump narrowly lost in 2020, the Republican Party started this year facing both debt and internal conflicts regarding leadership. Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra claimed he was informed that America PAC canvassers began operations in late August. A spokesperson for the group asserted that canvassers are active across key competitive states including Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, though they did not disclose the number of canvassers deployed.

Meghan Reckling, who owns a Republican canvassing firm in Michigan, reported spotting two America PAC canvassers in Oakland County. She mentioned that they appeared to have a positive interaction with a resident, suggesting they were engaging effectively. Despite this anecdote, accounts like hers were notably infrequent during conversations with over two dozen Republicans across various battleground states.

Mark Forton, the GOP chair in Macomb County, which is a populous suburb northeast of Detroit, voiced his skepticism, saying, “I don’t know what the PACs are doing. I don’t know if they are going door to door.”

Despite concerns from activists, Trump’s campaign claims it has around 30,000 volunteer captains working locally to identify less likely voters through canvassing efforts. Political director James Blair indicated that close to 2,500 paid canvassers are actively working in the battleground states, with America PAC comprising a considerable portion of that number. Since mid-August, the PAC has reportedly paid canvassing firms over $14 million as part of their election efforts, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

Blair responded to criticisms about reliance on outside organizations by emphasizing that they are leveraging resources from these groups to enhance outreach and engagement within targeted voter demographics. “We very much are focused on low-propensity voters, because it’s what makes strategically the most sense in terms of how the president is going to win these states,” he said.

America PAC, led by former aides to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is not the only outside group assisting Trump. The campaign is also collaborating with organizations like Turning Point USA, headed by conservative figure Charlie Kirk, as well as the Faith and Freedom Coalition, spearheaded by Ralph Reed. A recent Federal Election Commission ruling allows campaigns to coordinate their efforts with super PACs, facilitating collaboration on voter outreach.

On the other side of the race, Harris’ ground efforts rely on a dedicated campaign staff numbering around 2,200 across more than 328 offices. Labor-affiliated groups are reportedly canvassing independently from the campaign. In terms of advertising, groups supporting Harris are projected to spend nearly $175 million more than Trump’s campaign by Election Day, underscoring the financial advantage Harris has had on media outreach since her campaign launch in late July.

Recently, America PAC faced challenges, including the dismissal of its Nevada-based canvassing firm, September Group, which had received almost $2.7 million in payments. The decision has raised further questions about the group’s effectiveness in executing a coordinated effort for Trump’s presidential campaign.

While delegating campaign duties to outside organizations is not a novel concept, past attempts by other candidates have not always gone smoothly. The challenges faced by America PAC are reminiscent of issues experienced by Ron DeSantis’ previous campaign and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s campaign in 2016, illustrating the complexities of relying on external groups for pivotal campaign strategies.