DNC Battleground Brief

This is the DNC’s Battleground Brief — a weekly wrap-up of Trump’s broken promises and everything you need to know across the path to 270.

DNC BEGINS MULTI-MILLION ‘BATTLEGROUND’ INVESTMENT IN SIX STATES WON BY TRUMP. This week the DNC announced 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. The program will:

  • Roughly double the number field organizers across the states. By March there will be hundreds of staff on the ground.

  • Open additional offices in each state.

  • Fund on-the-ground data staff.

  • Fund additional operations staff — some of the most important behind-the-scenes roles that allow a campaign to grow their organization quickly.

This program builds on investments made by the DNC in 2019, including: communications staff in six states; organizing staff in eight states, voter protection and additional organizing staff in seven states; and increasing our monthly investment in every state party by 33 percent since this time in 2016. Read more:

CNN: DNC begins multi-million ‘battleground’ investment in six states won by Trump

The Hill: Democrats roll out multimillion investment in six battleground states

Axios: DNC kicks off multi-million investment in 2020 battleground states

Daily Kos: DNC invests early and big to build presence in presidential battleground states

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Democratic National Committee targets Wisconsin, 5 other states for ramped-up 2020 ground game

Sun-Sentinel: National Democratic Party boosting staff in Florida and five other battleground states

Florida Politics: Democrats targeting Florida among battleground states for enhanced build-up

WWMT: The DNC’s latest investment shows Michigan is a linchpin in 2020 

Holland Sentinel: Michigan among states targeted by new DNC campaign

Michigan Radio: National Democrats launching effort to win Michigan back in 2020 presidential election

WWMT: Perez On DNC Investment In Michigan

Cronkite News: DNC sees Maricopa voters as key to making Arizona a 2020 battleground

FOX 28: Iowa Politics Now: DNC looks to spend millions in battleground states.

BATTLEGROUND DEMOCRATS SLAM TRUMP FOR THREATENING MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND SOCIAL SECURITY. After Trump told CNBC he’ll look at slashing Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, Democrats across the battlegrounds pounced — calling him out for breaking his promise to the American people to protect these vital programs.

PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRATS: “The President’s reversal is a slap in the face to hardworking Pennsylvanians who rely on these earned benefits. Trump only cares about serving the wealthiest and well-connected. Democrats have and will continue to fight for policies that put working families first.”

MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS: “Donald Trump has broken his promise to protect Michigan families from attacks on Social Security and Medicare, instead leading the assault against these critical programs. Michigan’s working families know they can’t afford four more years of Trump’s broken promises and assaults on the programs they rely on to thrive.”

WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS: “Trump’s announcement that he’s aiming to cut Social Security and Medicare is a profoundly broken promise for Wisconsinites. He promised in 2016 to protect Social Security and Medicare, essential benefits that millions in our state paid into their entire lives so they could retire and live with dignity. But over and over he has proposed cuts in his budgets, and now he’s doubling down. These cuts threaten the health and well-being of our state and voters aren’t going to stand by for another four years of Trump’s threats and broken promises.”

FLORIDA DEMOCRATS: “Once again, Trump makes it clear that Florida voters cannot trust him when it comes to protecting their healthcare. Trump has reminded seniors exactly what is at stake if he wins a second term: your Social Security and Medicare.”

IOWA DEMOCRATS: “Donald Trump should be ashamed to show his face in Iowa. He’s openly running on broken promises and cruel attacks on working families’ hard-earned retirement and health care. Iowans deserve a president who has our backs, and in November, we’re going to send one to the White House.”

NEVADA DEMOCRATS: “Nevada saw through Trump’s empty rhetoric three years ago ⁠— we were right. He promised time and again to defend our hard-earned retirement and health care. Instead, he’s happily stabbing us in the back. We deserve a leader who stands with working families in Nevada, not billionaires in Switzerland.”

FLORIDA DEMOCRATS GREET TRUMP AT DORAL — FROM WLRN: “FLORIDA DEMOCRATS DENOUNCE TRUMP’S TREATMENT OF VENEZUELAN AND CUBAN IMMIGRANTS. ““Florida Democrats held a press conference condemning President Donald Trump’s treatment of Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants on Thursday at the Freedom Tower…U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala and State Sen. José Javier Rodríguez, who both represent districts in South Florida, denounced the Trump administration for not granting Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelan immigrants, and for its changes to the asylum process…The speakers also criticized the deportation of Cubans. An estimated 20,000 asylum-seeking Cubans have pending deportation cases.”

AND THE PALM BEACH POST TAKES A DEEP DIVE INTO FLORIDA DEMOCRATS “UNPRECEDENTED”  OUTREACH STRATEGY. Early, sustained outreach to voters is how Florida Democrats plan to win this year, and to coincide with their voter registration push on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, The Palm Beach Post highlighted the historic organizing initiatives the FDP is already executing. From the story:

  • “… Florida’s Democratic Party says that this time around, they will win, and a Martin Luther King Jr. Day voter registration drive shows why. Democratic volunteers joined a mental health awareness event Monday in Cunningham Park on Avenue S and West 29th Street to register voters. They held drives in four other places in Palm Beach County and more than 30 places statewide.The push is part of what the party called an unprecedented effort to register more Democrats to vote.”

  • “The state party boasted in a Monday memo that it has raised $5.2 million while organizers and volunteers registered 17,720 voters in 2019 compared to about 9,200 in 2015.”

  • “Rather than wait until the months before Election Day to engage voters of color, as some say is the Democrats’ pattern, the party has been connecting with those communities throughout 2019, state party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said. Three in five party organizers are not white and the majority of them speak at least two languages, the party’s memo states.The party has spent $500,000 on ads in newspapers and other media aimed at blacks, Hispanic and young people.”

DNC CHAIR PEREZ FIRES UP LOCAL ORGANIZERS AT ORGANIZING CORPS 2020 TRAINING. Organizing Corps 2020 — the DNC’s new field organizer training program — is back for round 2, and Chair Perez joined students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to speak about the importance of their work. From Madison365:

  • “Perez predicts a close race in Wisconsin in October. Last summer, he knocked on 20,000 doors in Milwaukee alongside Organizing Corps members. This is part of an effort to develop a relationship with voters ahead of the election.”

  • “Organizing Corps 2020 is an unprecedented, multi-million dollar investment to recruit, pay, and train young people to work on the 2020 presidential cycle. The program has a particular focus on mentoring students from communities of color. Organizing Corps aims to ensure homegrown organizers for the Democratic nominee.”

  • “Perez also spoke about not making politics transactional. He encouraged organizers to listen to the issues of residents and make connections with them. Perez said issues like the opioid crisis and health care touch Republicans, Democrats and independents.”

READ NM DEMS CHAIR IN THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN: DEMOCRATS ARE STARTING STRONG IN 2020.

FOSTERS DAILY DEMOCRAT: SEACOAST DEMS: TRUMP ENDANGERS NH DRINKING WATER. “A group of Democratic state lawmakers criticized President Donald Trump Friday for what they say is his failure to protect Granite Staters from dangerous PFAS chemicals in drinking water. State Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, D-Portsmouth, said Democrats in the Statehouse — along with the state’s Democratic congressional delegation in Washington — have worked hard to ‘keep all of our communities safe and healthy.’”

**TWO BRUTAL HEADLINES FOR TRUMP**

BLOOMBERG: U.S. RUST-BELT SWING STATES LOST MANUFACTURING JOBS IN 2019

POLITICO: TRUMP BERATES AZAR OVER BAD HEALTH CARE POLLING

FUN READ FROM THE NYT: CAUCUSING IN THE CAUCUSES. “In just 11 days, Mr. Kucera will host the first Iowa caucus in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. So far, three potential voters plan to attend: Mr. Kucera, a friend and a guy who works in the ski industry …’There’s no specific reasons for an Iowan to be here,’said Mr. Kucera, originally from Des Moines. ‘But I’m a proud Iowan, nostalgic for Iowa and I like doing Iowan things.’”

Make sure to follow the DNC’s War Room (@DNCWarRoom) to get real-time updates on Trump’s abuses of power and broken promises.

Happy Friday!

The DNC Comms Team