He’s going into Democrat strongholds.
Prepare for Donald Trump’s upcoming rallies in predominantly Democratic states. With the election just weeks away, Trump plans to hold events in states where he has little chance of winning, a strategy campaign advisers believe aims to highlight failures of Democratic policies. This approach also serves to distance him from the crucial swing states likely to determine the election outcome.
In the coming month, Trump will visit states like Colorado, California, Illinois, and New York—regions that President Joe Biden won by an average of 20 points in the 2020 election. Colorado’s 13-point margin was the narrowest among these states, and it has not supported a Republican presidential nominee since George W. Bush in 2004. One of the key events will take place at Madison Square Garden, a venue Trump has long expressed interest in for a political rally.
A senior adviser for Trump’s campaign explained that selecting prominent locations for these rallies is intended to attract media attention, ensuring that the coverage addresses the issues Trump wants to highlight. The adviser noted, “We live in a nationalized media environment, and the national media’s attention on these large-scale, outside-the-norm settings increases the reach of his message across the country and penetrates every battleground state.”
As Trump shifts focus away from critical swing states—such as Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan—some Republican insiders question the effectiveness of this strategy. Veteran GOP consultant Matthew Bartlett observed that this approach seems less about targeting swing voters and more about creating a spectacle. Nonetheless, he acknowledged Trump’s unique ability to reshape the Republican Party, which may provide opportunities to attract voters from traditionally Democratic demographics.
While Trump’s team is confident in their chances and believes that rallies—even in blue states—can influence down-ballot races, there are no competitive Senate contests in these locations. Nonetheless, House races in California and New York are expected to be closely contested, potentially benefiting from Trump’s presence. Some local politicians, however, have voiced opposition to the rallies, citing Trump’s controversial remarks on various social issues that clash with the values of their communities.
Despite the mixed reactions, Trump’s campaign seems determined to continue this unconventional approach, suggesting that even a rally in a Democratic stronghold could generate valuable visibility as the election approaches.
