GOP operatives in key states warn Trump 2020 is slow out of the gate

President Trump’s re-election campaign has yet to place staff in key states, with some Republicans anxious that the plodding pace of hiring for 2020 could squander the advantages of incumbency.

Republican operatives in a half-dozen states critical to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence winning a second term say they have seen few signs of life from the re-election campaign. With the eventual Democratic nominee sure to be mired in a competitive and possibly lengthy primary, some GOP insiders fret that Trump-Pence could miss an opportunity to enter the general election better organized and more prepared to compete.

“We just came through a tough general election here in Pennsylvania and there hasn’t been a lot of focus on 2020 yet. There’s clearly some concern,” said Charlie Gerow, a veteran Republican consultant in a state crucial to Trump’s fortunes. “It’s going to be difficult for President Trump to repeat here, but it’s clearly doable. To beat the odds, as he did in 2016, the campaign will have to have a strong ground game.”

More