Donald Trump has been shadowing Democrats as they begin the cross country trek of primaries and caucuses to choose his challenger. He has shown up a day or two before the Democratic nominating contests, teasing, mocking, and humiliating his potential opponents.
In both Iowa and New Hampshire, Trump’s awesome digital ground game revved up the GOP turnout machine that is now putting the fear of god — or Trump — into Democratic candidates. Trump is smashing the vote total records of both Obama and Bush, proving he is light years ahead of the Democratic Party. His campaign’s digital prowess is, to coin a phrase, “yuuuuge.”
The efforts are paying off, with Republicans turning out in historic numbers. Trump received more than 31,000 votes in the Iowa caucus, surpassing the 25,000 Democrats who turned out during Barack Obama’s successful 2012 reelection bid. Trump’s share was more than four times the number of Republicans who caucused during George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign.
The vote totals in New Hampshire were even starker. The president received 129,696 votes, more than doubling Obama and Bush’s totals.
The Trump campaign’s advantages are more than just financial and digital. They are putting constant pressure on Democrats and forcing them to draw uncomfortable conclusions about their chances in November. In New Hampshire, the day before the February 11 primary, thousands braved the frigid temps to stand in line for hours to see him. It was the same story in Iowa the week before.
And big crowds are expected next Friday when Trump rallies his supporters in Nevada.