Trump’s sleepy start: 2024 campaign begins with muted New Hampshire speech

SALEM, New Hampshire — Former President Trump’s first marketing campaign swing of the 2024 marketing campaign generated little of the joy that has lengthy outlined his glitzy political rallies.

Why it issues: From get together officers to state legislators, there wasn’t a visual present of help for Trump’s 2024 bid amongst rank-and-file New Hampshire Republicans in attendance.

• In distinction to the massive rallies that propelled him in 2016 and 2020, the New Hampshire occasion — timed to the state get together annual assembly — was held in a compact highschool auditorium, with about 400 folks in attendance.
• Probably the most organized present of Trump help was a few dozen followers standing exterior the parking zone, who weren’t credentialed for the occasion.

Driving the information: In a long-winded, hourlong tackle, Trump recalled what he says are his best successes as president — from cracking down on unlawful immigration to stunting the unfold of ISIS and launching the Area Pressure.

• About one-third of the group loudly applauded as outgoing state get together chairman Stephen Stepanek launched Trump by endorsing his marketing campaign. (He will probably be serving as Trump’s high New Hampshire adviser.) However the speech total drew a lukewarm response from the attendees.
• Trump’s greatest applause got here 45 minutes into his speech, when he launched a brand new proposal to crack down on essential race idea in public faculty lecture rooms. He additionally drew an enthusiastic response when he proposed a constitutional modification for congressional time period limits.
• Noting that pundits have panned the previous president’s low-key schedule since asserting his 2024 presidential marketing campaign, Trump responded: “I’ve two years. I’m extra offended now and I’m extra dedicated than ever.”

What they’re saying: “Trump has not been mortally wounded however was broken by the leads to the midterm election,” stated former Republican state get together chairman Wayne MacDonald, a state lawmaker. “Trump misplaced the 2020 election, and the quantity of people that nonetheless maintain onto the idea that he did not are a dwindling minority.”

Between the traces: Indicators of enthusiasm for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have been notable all through the occasion. The professional-DeSantis efforts have been led by the tremendous PAC Ron To the Rescue, which arrange store contained in the GOP assembly. A second DeSantis supporter was promoting T-shirts at a stand.

• A life-sized cutout of DeSantis stood simply exterior the auditorium. Solely a smattering of seen indicators of Trump enthusiasm — purple MAGA hats from his most devoted supporters — have been current in the highschool’s hallways.
• One Republican in attendance estimated to Axios that about half of the get together rank-and-file within the room have been Trump supporters normally, whereas one other half wished the get together to maneuver on. One other stated there have been “pockets” of Trump help inside get together management, but it surely was not widespread.

Actuality examine: Trump’s base of help has all the time been with peculiar Republican voters who do not take part in grassroots political occasions. Final yr, Republican major voters rejected candidates backed by standard GOP Gov. Chris Sununu in favor of MAGA-oriented candidates.

By the numbers: Two new polls of New Hampshire Republicans paint a blended image of the state’s GOP voters. The College of New Hampshire’s Granite State Ballot confirmed DeSantis main Trump, 42%-30%, in a multi-candidate poll check.

• However a Coefficient survey performed for the New Hampshire Journal discovered Trump up 11 factors over DeSantis (37%-26%), with Sununu tallying 13%. 43% of GOP respondents stated they’d desire Trump to another, whereas 42% would favor another person.
• A casual Reuters survey of 10 onetime sturdy Trump supporters within the state discovered solely three of them backing him once more in 2024.
• Sununu stated on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that DeSantis would win the New Hampshire major as we speak “definitely.”

The underside line: Trump’s help is gentle in New Hampshire. The widespread sentiment amongst Republicans there may be that Trump served the nation effectively, however he is unelectable in 2024.