Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Axios AM Thought Bubble: Trump almighty

1 big thing: Trump almighty | Wednesday, November 04, 2020
 
Axios Logo  Alerts
 
View in browser
 
Presented By Count Every Vote
 
Axios AM Thought Bubble
By Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei ·Nov 04, 2020

Situational awareness: The results in six battleground states remain up in the air.

  • There are no guarantees, but we're most likely to get projected results from Michigan and Wisconsin today. In both states, Joe Biden has clawed back into a slight lead over President Trump as mail-in ballots are counted in urban areas.
  • Democrats are hoping for the same outcome in Pennsylvania, as early votes roll in from Philadelphia, but that count is expected to take longer.
  • Georgia and North Carolina look like Trump's best bets for wins.

With the election in overtime, live updates continue at Axios.com.

  • Smart Brevity™ count: 376 words ... a 2 minute read.
 
 
1 big thing: Trump almighty

President Trump speaks in the East Room early this morning. Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters

 

Win or lose, President Trump will emerge more powerful than ever inside the GOP, by defying expectations for himself and lifting fellow Republicans to surprise victories in the House and Senate.

  • Why it matters: Trump enjoyed an almost messianic hold on Republicans before the election. Now, he looks like a prophet again, against the doomsday projections for his candidacy and his party's congressional hopes.

Between the lines: Trump will use this power to try to invalidate late-counted votes. His advisers tell us Trump expects lawmakers and the courts to fall in line.

  • If he fails, he could create a parallel government-in-waiting, wielding control over Republicans, and heckling and hounding Biden — and the media.
  • Trump did better than expected with white women and with Hispanics.

Top Republican strategists tell us that Trump will have a powerful psychic hold over the party regardless of the result.

  • Trump, if he loses, may signal he'll run again in 2024.
  • By falsely claiming to millions of adoring voters that the election was stolen — and by dangling the possibility of redemption in 2024 — Trump can effectively freeze his party for four years.

The bottom line: The party structure is weak, and Trump is by far the most popular Republican in the land. So top Republican operatives believe the GOP won't be able to have a serious reset until the party has a new nominee in 2024.

  • But by defying polls and maintaining his grip over the Republican electorate, Trump makes that task extremely difficult if not impossible. This is Trump's party until he decides it is not.

Jonathan Swan contributed reporting.

Share on Facebook Tweet this Story Post to LinkedIn Email this Story
 
 

A message from Count Every Vote

Bipartisan council forms to defend election integrity
 
 

The National Council on Election Integrity, a bipartisan group of political, government, and civic leaders, was formed to ensure that every American's vote is counted this November.

Stand with them: take the pledge at counteveryvote.org.

 
 

Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters.
Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content.

Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201
 
You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios.
Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.
 
Was this email forwarded to you?
Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.
 

Follow Axios on social media:

Axios on Facebook Axios on Twitter Axios on Instagram
 
 
                                             

No comments:

Post a Comment

The Next E-Commerce Battlefield

This Week on the BoF Podcast: Tina Brown ADVERTISEMENT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2024 ...