DNC Announces “Battleground Build-Up 2020”

New, multi-million dollar program will continue laying the groundwork for eventual nominee and Democrats at every level to win in 2020. 

Today, the DNC is launching the “Battleground Build-Up 2020,” a new, multi-million dollar investment starting in six battleground states (AZ, FL, MI, NC, PA and WI) to continue laying the groundwork for our eventual nominee and Democratic candidates at every level of the ballot to win in the general election. 

There was no comparable investment made by the DNC at this point during the 2016 presidential campaign cycle. Additional states and funding could be added as the cycle continues. 

“The DNC is making historic, early investments to lay the groundwork for our eventual nominee to win in 2020. We are taking nothing for granted as we work to make Trump a one-term president and win up and down the ballot in 2020,” said DNC Chair Tom Perez. “These organizers, offices, and staff will help our eventual nominee grow their general election operation as quickly as possible and ensure Democrats are reaching out to every voter possible, starting right now. Donald Trump’s broken his promises, he’s hurt working families at every turn — and this program will help build the infrastructure we need to beat him.” 

The Battleground Build-Up 2020 will:

  • Roughly double the number of on-the-ground field organizers across the states. In coordination with Democratic state parties, by March there will be hundreds of staff on the ground in these battlegrounds.  
  • Open additional offices in each state. 
  • Fund on-the-ground data staff to help ensure organizers are reaching out to a universe of potential voters in the most efficient way possible and with the most effective messages. 
  • Fund additional operations staff — some of the most important behind-the-scenes roles that allow a campaign to grow their organization quickly.

The new investment also builds off the DNC’s 2019 battleground investments in communications, organizing and voter protection, including:

  • Communications staff who are working to localize and define Trump’s record in six  states (PA, MI, WI, AZ, FL and OH); 
  • Organizing staff in eight states (AZ, CO, FL, MI, NV, PA, TX and WI); 
  • Voter protection and/or additional organizing staff in seven states (AZ, FL, GA, NC, MI, PA, WI). In partnership with other groups in the Democratic ecosystem, we are building an unprecedented, on the ground voter protection infrastructure across multiple states.  
  • The DNC has also increased it’s monthly investment in every state party by 33 percent since this time in 2016.