President Biden's increasing number of campaign offices signifies a positive development for his administration.
A new development in the ongoing political battle between Joe Biden and Donald Trump comes in the form of an increase in campaign offices in crucial states. Unlike poll numbers, which can fluctuate greatly, this trend is a tangible reflection of the resources being devoted to each campaign. Biden's team is using its fundraising power to create a well-established operation, unlike four years ago.
"Right now, our main focus is to establish infrastructure in all our paths to victory," said Dan Kanninen, the Biden campaign's battleground states director. "The margins in these states are razor-thin, and we want to capitalize on Trump's lack of presence."
This maneuver is aimed at making a clear statement: this is not a "Biden basement campaign." It's a marked departure from Biden's virtual events and drive-in rallies of 2020. The current situation shows a more robust, fully integrated organization.
Kanninen emphasized, "We're not sitting idly by, like Trump, who has been besieged by legal issues and cannot campaign in person. We're investing in infrastructure – in terms of staff and what we're building, and we want to display our financial dominance."
In the context of a potential close election, the stakes of these campaign infrastructures become more significant. Republican representatives in several battleground states have observed that Trump is lagging behind Biden's campaign efforts, citing mixed topics like fundraising and grassroots organization. In states like Arizona and Michigan, controversy has hindered the GOP's efforts.
However, a Trump advisor downplayed these concerns, stating, "Our campaign has the message, the operation, and the funds to win."
"We already have paid staffers and volunteer-powered field programs in all battleground states, and we're expanding every day," said Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, also highlighting their incisive, targeted campaign approach.
Switching Gears
The current US presidential race is no carbon copy of the 2020 election, despite the familiar roster of candidates and geographical battlegrounds. The primaries are now dominated by new and highly charged issues, including immigration, reproductive rights, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. These geopolitical tensions make it a stark contrast to the past campaign, which was virtually driven by the pandemic.
"It's all about knocking on doors the old-fashioned way," said Biden to staffers and volunteers during a visit to a Democratic office in Milwaukee. "Yes, that's true. We have to get out there."
The primary objective of characterizing the traditional campaign office as "alive again" makes Trump's loyalists feel reassured. Considering the starkly different conditions of the 2020 and this election, there's a deep-rooted desire to return to pre-pandemic methods of securing votes.
Deeply devoted Biden volunteers such as Ann Glass are reveling in the changes, "During the 2020 election, we went door-to-door, adhering to social distancing guidelines. Now, it's refreshing to engage in face-to-face interaction."
Concerns about voter turnout led campaign staff to devise a blended approach to political organizing, encompassing the best of pre- and post-pandemic strategies.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden's campaign manager, expressed her amazement at the new field offices, "I'm floored by the design of this place. If the president was here, he'd say he's never had such beautiful offices, but we understand their importance."
Having opened more than 133 offices nationwide, the Biden campaign is creating a uniquely strategic political milieu, capitalizing on lessons learned during both the pandemic and the boon of post-pandemic realities. Creating better campaign infrastructure is at the forefront.
"We aim to be where you can secure a voter," shared Kanninen, an experienced operative who participated in the 2008 and 2012 Obama-Biden campaigns. "It's necessary to compete in places where you might not usually win; it's better to lose by a narrower margin, i.e., 60-40, instead of by a larger one, 70-30. Having volunteers in an office setting, physically engaging with people makes a significant impact."
Given the hurdles Biden faces, his campaign with Trump in a tight competition, a robust organization is goal-oriented to compensate and present an advantage to the president. Even those within the Democratic party who have criticized Biden privately acknowledge the extent of the campaign operation as its most notable aspect.
Federal election records reveal that, as of April, the principal campaign committee for Biden had $88.5 million in its budget, while Trump's main campaign fund accounted for only $45.1 million. This financial imbalance displays the differing campaign structures both candidates are establishing.
"The advantage we hold in terms of time, infrastructure, and finance is something we aim to capitalize on nationwide," Kanninen said. "This isn't something that can be achieved overnight. It involves months of careful planning and effort, something the Trump campaign cannot make up for in short notice."
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Source: edition.cnn.com
