Trump supporters say president can win NH
President launches reelection bid in Florida
President launches reelection bid in Florida
President launches reelection bid in Florida
As President Donald Trump officially launches his 2020 presidential campaign at a rally in Orlando, Florida, his supporters in New Hampshire are optimistic he can win the Granite State.
Trump narrowly lost New Hampshire in 2016, and he has only returned once since then. New Hampshire is a swing state, but analysts said his path to victory could take him elsewhere.
Trump notched his first election victory in the New Hampshire primary. His core supporters said it's something he has never forgotten, and they expect him back for a campaign visit soon.
"He still holds New Hampshire close," said state Rep. Al Baldasaro, R-Londonderry. "He should be here within the next 30, 45 days."
University of New Hampshire political science professor Dante Scala said Trump doesn't have to rely on the Granite State.
"For Trump, a lot is going to be about retaining what he had," Scala said.
But Baldasaro, a key Trump ally, said New Hampshire can be flipped, especially after changes made to voting laws.
"The way we tightened up the residency, here in New Hampshire, the way we told college students to vote in your home state," Baldasaro said. "If you're paying out-of-state tuition, you're not a resident of New Hampshire."
Changes to state voting laws have been the subject of ongoing litigation. Democrats have accused Republicans of attempting to disenfranchise college students, while Republicans have said the laws would prevent fraud. Information on voting requirements can be found on the secretary of state's website.
The political picture in New Hampshire has been dominated for months by dozens of Democratic presidential hopefuls, who have been crisscrossing the state and hammering the incumbent.
Trump has been painting the field of potential opponents as too extreme.
"The question is, can the president over the next 500 days get enough of those people who disapprove of him right now to choose him on Election Day, given the alternative," Scala said.
Trump will face a Republican primary challenge in New Hampshire from former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld. Baldasaro said that will just be a speed bump on the way to the general election.