CNN: Republicans relish Trump’s rallies. Democrats see them as making their point

I spoke to CNN‘s Ryan Nobles about the Trump campaign doubling down on its rally strategy despite the pandemic, and whether it stands to help or hurt his campaign.

Liam Donovan, a former operative at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said — at this point — Republicans have to be willing to take the risk of Trump giving Democrats a gift from the stage.

“They realize that we’re mostly past persuasion and just trying to crank out as many votes in the right places as possible,” he said. “He’s bound to say anything and veer way off message from what they want to be talking about, but that’s a risk you have to be willing to take at this point.”

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NBC: Democrats are nervous about Trump’s persisting edge over Biden on the economy

I spoke to NBC News‘ Sahil Kapur about President Trump’s ongoing advantage on the economy according to public opinion surveys, and what it means for his closing message.

Trump’s other message — that Biden is controlled by anarchists who are inciting violence and crime in major cities — has fallen flat in polls.

Liam Donovan, a lobbyist and former GOP operative, said Trump’s “appeals to law and order definitely resonate with his base” but probably won’t move undecided voters. A positive economic message, however, could be a better closing argument.

“If President Trump is going to win four more years, it is because voters are hopeful about the future, not fearful. After a bumpy 2020, people are looking for some semblance of normalcy or at least hope,” he said. “The recent jobs numbers and anticipated GDP data could easily be worked into the argument that things are under control and moving in that direction.”

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Bloomberg Opinion: The NeverTrump Movement’s Surprising Core

I spoke to Bloomberg Opinion columnist Frank Wilkinson about what to make of the fact that erstwhile GOP consultants–a group hardly known for their firm principles–are the ones pushing back against President Trump.

Their turn against Trump is unlikely to be profitable; they surely could’ve reaped millions had they toed the Trumpist line. Meanwhile, the notion that they are somehow poised to compete for control of the Democratic Party is nonsensical on its face. 

Still, these are successful, veteran consultants who have already reaped years of lucrative fees (along with valuable business connections). They are in a position to challenge Trump, says Republican consultant Liam Donovan in an email, “particularly those who have made their mark and can afford to lean into a sense of conscience.” Elected politicians must measure acts of conscience against the likely wrath of the electorate, Donovan adds. But consultants, “however profit-driven they may be, or have been in their prime, always have a constituency of one.”

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