Trump Allies Eye New Battlefield if Biden Drops Out
Trump allies have initiated planning strategies against potential candidates who might replace Biden.
TroibNews 
MILWAUKEE — As Donald Trump readies himself to accept the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday, his allies are bracing for the possibility that President Joe Biden might withdraw from the race.
During a gathering of Trump aides at the Trade Hotel close to the Fiserv Forum, there was speculation about whom Vice President Kamala Harris could select as her running mate if she takes Biden's place on the ticket. MAGA Inc., Trump’s main super PAC, has been conducting opposition research and message testing against possible replacements for Biden, such as Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and billionaire TV personality Mark Cuban, according to someone familiar with the efforts.
Another super PAC aligned with Trump has commissioned polls to gauge how Trump would perform against Harris. According to a person acquainted with the data, these polls indicate that Harris would fare worse against Trump compared to Biden, although this is contrary to other surveys.
On the day of the Republican National Convention, Trump's aides focused on making last-minute adjustments to his speech. By Thursday afternoon, Harris — who could be a contender if Biden steps down — was not expected to be a major topic in the speech. The adjustments did not concern the potential change in the Democratic ticket, as per a source familiar with the preparations.
Trump has taken a hands-on approach to writing his speech, which he claims to have rewritten entirely following an assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Despite Biden's insistence on continuing his campaign, he is facing increased pressure to step down, including from significant party leaders like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi.
“I think obviously that if Biden ends up being the candidate, it would be better for Trump, but we don’t really care,” remarked Stacie Matson, a delegate from Texas.
Many in the Trump camp express a preference for facing Biden, attributing it to his perceived weak standing in the race.
“I want to see him stay in the race because he is a known quantity and I know we will win,” stated Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.), chair of the House Agriculture Committee.
Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas) echoed this sentiment: “Anytime you see an opponent that is that weak and has such a horrible record, certainly, that's an opponent you want to go up against.”
Nevertheless, Moran noted that regardless of the opposition, the Democrats would likely continue to discuss the same policies. Like many Republicans, he conveyed confidence in the party's ability to adapt.
“I think we would win anyways,” said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who was once considered a potential vice presidential pick for Trump before being passed over for Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. “It would just be a different campaign.”
Republicans acknowledge that Democrats could initially benefit from a fresh candidate due to the media buzz and voter interest. David Urban, who played a role in Trump’s 2016 campaign in Pennsylvania, anticipated Democrats might experience a “temporary bump in excitement,” though he believed it would be short-lived given the administration's ongoing issues.
“The sad realization will set in that the Titanic is still headed for the iceberg,” Urban said.
This week, Republicans gave a glimpse of how they might campaign against Harris if she replaces Biden, depicting her as an ineffective “border czar.”
On Thursday, the Trump campaign introduced another attack against Democrats, accusing them of an “attempted coup.”
"It's deposing the president of the United States," said Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita during an interview at the POLITICO-CNN grill.
LaCivita also criticized Harris on border issues and labeled her the “gaslighter-in-chief” for claiming that Biden is in good condition: “Oh he’s fine, he’s in great shape.”
“That’s a character issue,” he added, predicting that Trump could even defeat Harris in blue-leaning New Mexico.
Amid internal strife within the Democratic Party, Republicans have showcased unity at their convention. Unlike Trump’s contentious 2016 convention, the former president has seen minimal criticism in Milwaukee. Though still unpopular among many traditional Republicans and over half of the nation, party leaders, lawmakers, and activists rallied around Trump in the aftermath of the assassination attempt.
With Biden facing scrutiny over his mental fitness, the Trump campaign has used the convention to demonstrate strength. Numerous speakers have highlighted Trump’s survival of the assassination attempt, and delegates frequently chanted “fight, fight, fight.”
Melanie Mason and Meridith McGraw contributed to this report.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
During a gathering of Trump aides at the Trade Hotel close to the Fiserv Forum, there was speculation about whom Vice President Kamala Harris could select as her running mate if she takes Biden's place on the ticket. MAGA Inc., Trump’s main super PAC, has been conducting opposition research and message testing against possible replacements for Biden, such as Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and billionaire TV personality Mark Cuban, according to someone familiar with the efforts.
Another super PAC aligned with Trump has commissioned polls to gauge how Trump would perform against Harris. According to a person acquainted with the data, these polls indicate that Harris would fare worse against Trump compared to Biden, although this is contrary to other surveys.
On the day of the Republican National Convention, Trump's aides focused on making last-minute adjustments to his speech. By Thursday afternoon, Harris — who could be a contender if Biden steps down — was not expected to be a major topic in the speech. The adjustments did not concern the potential change in the Democratic ticket, as per a source familiar with the preparations.
Trump has taken a hands-on approach to writing his speech, which he claims to have rewritten entirely following an assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Despite Biden's insistence on continuing his campaign, he is facing increased pressure to step down, including from significant party leaders like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi.
“I think obviously that if Biden ends up being the candidate, it would be better for Trump, but we don’t really care,” remarked Stacie Matson, a delegate from Texas.
Many in the Trump camp express a preference for facing Biden, attributing it to his perceived weak standing in the race.
“I want to see him stay in the race because he is a known quantity and I know we will win,” stated Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.), chair of the House Agriculture Committee.
Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas) echoed this sentiment: “Anytime you see an opponent that is that weak and has such a horrible record, certainly, that's an opponent you want to go up against.”
Nevertheless, Moran noted that regardless of the opposition, the Democrats would likely continue to discuss the same policies. Like many Republicans, he conveyed confidence in the party's ability to adapt.
“I think we would win anyways,” said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who was once considered a potential vice presidential pick for Trump before being passed over for Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. “It would just be a different campaign.”
Republicans acknowledge that Democrats could initially benefit from a fresh candidate due to the media buzz and voter interest. David Urban, who played a role in Trump’s 2016 campaign in Pennsylvania, anticipated Democrats might experience a “temporary bump in excitement,” though he believed it would be short-lived given the administration's ongoing issues.
“The sad realization will set in that the Titanic is still headed for the iceberg,” Urban said.
This week, Republicans gave a glimpse of how they might campaign against Harris if she replaces Biden, depicting her as an ineffective “border czar.”
On Thursday, the Trump campaign introduced another attack against Democrats, accusing them of an “attempted coup.”
"It's deposing the president of the United States," said Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita during an interview at the POLITICO-CNN grill.
LaCivita also criticized Harris on border issues and labeled her the “gaslighter-in-chief” for claiming that Biden is in good condition: “Oh he’s fine, he’s in great shape.”
“That’s a character issue,” he added, predicting that Trump could even defeat Harris in blue-leaning New Mexico.
Amid internal strife within the Democratic Party, Republicans have showcased unity at their convention. Unlike Trump’s contentious 2016 convention, the former president has seen minimal criticism in Milwaukee. Though still unpopular among many traditional Republicans and over half of the nation, party leaders, lawmakers, and activists rallied around Trump in the aftermath of the assassination attempt.
With Biden facing scrutiny over his mental fitness, the Trump campaign has used the convention to demonstrate strength. Numerous speakers have highlighted Trump’s survival of the assassination attempt, and delegates frequently chanted “fight, fight, fight.”
Melanie Mason and Meridith McGraw contributed to this report.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
