Dem
51
GOP
49
While Donald Trump has announced a 2024 run, he hasn't actually done anything that candidates do, like campaign. Considering that Trump hates actually governing but loves campaigning, especially in front of large crowds, his lack of campaign activity is very surprising. However, he has now decided to get the party started. He will do a campaign event in Columbia, SC, later this month. However, it is expected to be an intimate event rather than a mass rally. Typically, intimate events are fundraisers, where guests pay large amounts of money to attend, but Trump has not said if this will be a fundraiser.
Reporters have asked Trump when the rallies will resume. Campaign adviser Chris LaCivita replied with: "People want to push, 'Why aren't you doing rallies?' Well, I think it would be kind of crazy to be spending huge amounts of money this far out." There is some truth in that, but Trump loves rallies and raising money probably won't be a problem, so it does seem odd. January weather is not great everywhere, but there are swing states with decent weather right now, such as Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia. Florida, too, but that brings up other issues since Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is not likely to support Trump's campaign and he could try to mess with Trump there. On the other hand, the early states for the Republicans are Iowa and New Hampshire, and it is hard to imagine Trump holding a rally in freezing weather in the middle of a snowstorm.
But a lack of rallies doesn't mean Trump's campaign staffers are sitting around twiddling their thumbs. They have hired some old Iowa hands to get to work there and put a full-page ad in the Iowa GOP's annual legislative breakfast program. They are also working closely with the state parties in New Hampshire and Nevada. (V)