Republicans are cautiously embracing President-elect Trump’s plan to hit the campaign trail for a series of rallies to thank voters who supported his election, even though some are worried Trump is setting a new standard for the “permanent campaign.”
Trump’s tour, billed as a “thank you” to supporters, begins Thursday at the 17,556-capacity U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, and is expected to mimic the high-energy rallies that drove his insurgent presidential campaign.
Republican strategists acknowledged the political risks in Trump’s decision hold political events just 23 days after the Nov. 8 election — and more than seven weeks before his inauguration. But they were loathe to criticize the president-elect’s instincts after a surprise victory that was fueled the strong connection he forged with the voters, particularly in states the GOP hadn’t won in decades.
“He has a need and an opportunity to solidify his coalition,” Republican operative Brad Todd said. “A lot of people voted for him with misgivings but now are invested in him doing well. I think this is a smart play to sell those people on the government he is assembling.”
“The best presidents regularly get out of Washington to speak directly to people,” GOP consultant Alex Conant added. “Trump seems to understand that the power of the presidency resides largely in the bully pulpit.”
Todd and Conant both worked on behalf of Trump rivals in the 2016 GOP primary. Todd advised a super PAC that supported now-former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Conant counseled Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.
Republicans’ approval of Trump’s political activities is a stark turnabout from their criticism of President Obama over the years. They have long accused the Democratic chief executive of choosing to engage in a “permanent campaign” bent on punishing political foes, rather than shift to governing and work with them.
Some Republican insiders, however, are worried that Trump is inviting the same fate by acting politically so soon. Embarking on what is essentially a campaign swing, in states where Trump won, could make it difficult for Trump to unify the country and encourage Democrats in Congress to work with him.
That’s especially the case, concerned Republicans say, given the partisan and occasionally controversial nature of Trump’s rallies, both in terms of his rhetoric and audience behavior.
“The risk is that these rallies become flashpoints between his supporters and his opponents, which prevents him from following through on his election night promise to bring the country together,” said a Republican strategist who has worked on campaigns and in a presidential administration.
“It’s obvious that there are very raw feelings around the country right now,” this strategist continued. “Rubbing salt in those wounds before you even get to an inauguration sets that process back.”
Democrats are also worried about the precedent Trump is setting, since Trump will be hitting the campaign trail less than a month after he won.
Some Democrats accept comparisons to Obama, but contend Trump raises the “permanent campaign” to a level typically found in quasi-authoritarian regimes built around the cult of personality-style leadership.
“This is yet another example of him pushing way past the usual boundaries when it comes to politics,” Democratic operative Jim Manley said. “I think this is highly unusual and fraught with some peril depending on how crowds react and what he says.”
Similar to Trump, Obama rode to office on the strength of charismatic oratory before campaign rallies packed with thousands, through which he cultivated a strong following with voters.
After Obama was inaugurated in 2009, he would regularly deliver a major speech in an attempt to garner support for his agenda. He once said in a meeting with GOP leaders that they should defer to him on policy because he won and “elections have consequences.”
Republicans criticized Obama’s approach; and some saw similarities with Trump after his rally tour was revealed.
“Boy, these candidates/president-elects look awfully similar, don’t they?” said a GOP consultant. “Both won by appealing top their party’s basest voters. They both had or are having a tough time with their party leaders in Congress. Neither takes any kind of criticism well at all. All we need now is for Trump to win the Nobel Prize for doing absolutely nothing.”
