RALEIGH – Four weeks from the Nov. 3 election day, campaigns are searching for every vote they can get for their candidate.
Trump Victory, the combined field operation of President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee, says they’ve seen an uptick in activity in the state as voters casting absentee by-mail ballots.
“We’re continuing to crush voter contact milestones and are seeing a sharp uptick in field activity across the state,” said spokesman Gates McGavick. “We’re re-doubling our efforts with the election bearing down, and also because our voters are motivated by issues like President Trump’s Great American Comeback, Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination, and Democrats working with the Board of Elections to undermine the security of our voting process.”
McGavick said that over the past weekend, the campaign was able to knock on over 118,000 doors across the state.
One of those volunteers in Danette Fulk of Wake County. Fulk said that volunteers take precautions when canvassing neighborhoods, carrying hand sanitizer and wearing masks. She said that responses even during the coronavirus pandemic are generally positive.
“People want to talk about the election and about President Trump’s winning record. No one has ever reacted negatively to me after coming to their door, except to complain about Joe Biden and his far-left agenda,” said Fulk.
She added that one thing that sticks out to her is how eager people are to talk about the election and what’s happening in their lives.
“They’re happy to see someone engaged in the process reaching out to them. One thing in particular that’s incredibly motivating is hearing from folks who say they’ve never voted before, but are registering to vote for President Trump. Those moments show why what we’re doing is so important,” said Fulk.
She also said the top issues she hears from voters are prevention of voter fraud, the Supreme Court nomination, and the economy.
“I also hear from Republicans that they’re committed to voting in person on Election Day,” Fulk added.
Trump Victory also shared more voter contact milestones. They say they’ve made over 8 million total voter contacts in the state including 1.4 million doors knocked, over 6.4 million calls made, and 4,300 volunteer events held.
“With 10 days until early voting, our field army is firing on all cylinders and shattering milestones on a regular basis. We continue to work around-the-clock in every corner of North Carolina as Joe Biden’s team remains absent because ground game wins elections,” McGavick said on the latest numbers.
Democrats have until recently shunned the shoe leather aspect of campaigning. A recent Associated Press story said growing concern from Democratic officials on the ground in key states feared Biden has been giving a significant advantage to Republicans.
“Our voter contact operation is the most innovative and technologically advanced of any presidential campaign in history, and it has been thriving in this unprecedented environment,” Biden campaign manager Jenn O’Malley Dillon said in a statement.
President Trump’s re-election campaign also launched what it called “Operation MAGA,” an effort to rally behind the president and carry the campaign forward until Trump returns to the trail.
“Vice President Mike Pence, the First Family, our coalitions, and our grassroots supporters will be out in full force to show the real enthusiasm behind the President’s re-election and to show we’re working as hard as he always does. We also encourage all of the President’s supporters to pick up the banner themselves by volunteering in our grassroots Army for Trump, flying their Trump flags, putting out more yard signs, and wearing their MAGA gear proudly,” said Bill Stepien, Trump 2020 campaign manager.
