Politico: Trump campaign in disarray, laying off staff

[yankeesfan]

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/donald-trump-campaign-staff-disarray-221557

Excerpts:

Donald Trump’s campaign is increasingly falling into disarray as the Manhattan billionaire braces for a loss in Wisconsin that could set him on course for an uncertain convention floor fight for the Republican presidential nomination.

Since March, the campaign has been laying off field staff en masse around the country and has dismantled much of what existed of its organizations in general-election battlegrounds, including Florida and Ohio.

Last month, the campaign laid off the leader of its data team, Matt Braynard, who did not train a successor. It elevated his No. 2, a data engineer with little prior high-level political strategy experience, and also shifted some of his team’s duties to a 2015 college graduate whose last job was an internship with the consumer products company Colgate-Palmolive. Some of the campaign’s data remains inaccessible.

As the final stretch of this hard fought GOP primary bogs down into a delegate fight among party insiders and operatives that likely won’t be decided until the July convention in Cleveland, Trump’s singular star power appears to be no longer enough—and his campaign’s months-long lack of attention to other fundamentals is emerging as a hindrance to his ability to clinch the nomination outright.

***

At the moment, though, Trump’s team appears to be something of a patchwork group without much experience—partly because so many staffers are being fired.

Only four of 11 Iowa staffers continued on after Trump lost that state’s caucuses in February. More recently, most of Trump’s South Carolina, Florida and Ohio teams have not had their contracts renewed, according to a person familiar with the campaign, who said the lack of organization in Florida was putting Trump at a disadvantage in the delegate selection process.

***

Multiple staffers and advisors left the campaign last month in protest of the way its management was treating its staff, a source familiar with the departures told POLITICO.

“I believe that Donald Trump has the backbone to fix this country, but if changes are not made soon at the top I am fairly convinced that he will lose,” said one of the people who left the campaign. The person said morale among the campaign staff is sinking, attributing that to the layoffs, as well as Lewandowski’s profanity-laced outburst on campaign calls.

“I don’t think Mr. Trump knows what’s happening on his campaign,” the person said, adding “everyone is in astonishment of what’s going on. It’s almost like they’re sabotaging themselves.”

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This doesn't bode well for his chances at succeeding in a contested convention.

[Fargobison]

Trump should have kicked that clown Lewandowski to the curb after Super Tuesday.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

WE'RE IN FOR A YUUUUGE SURPRISE TONIGHT FOLKS!

- trump

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Go ahead, drop out.  I won't mind!!

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Go ahead, drop out.  I won't mind!!

You know _trump will never do that, his ego is off the charts!

[ProudModerate2]

As far as the primaries are concerned, I think trump's movement has now "peaked."
He has very little room to continue to move upwards with the R electorate (as long as Kasich stays in the race).
The question is .... will his support/popularity stay approx. where it stands now ?
Or will it fall slightly/moderately ?

[Torie]

I thought Trump was worth billions. That is what he reminds us of near every day. Why would he be laying off staff?

[RaphaelDLG]

This is a testament to how stingy a person trump is.  Think about it - the FRONTRUNNER is having to lay off staff!

[ProudModerate2]

I thought Trump was worth billions. That is what he reminds us of near every day. Why would he be laying off staff?

I was thinking the same thing.
Something tells me this "campaign disarray" is not about money, or a direct trump decision, but rather incompetence from his top people that are running his show.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/donald-trump-campaign-staff-disarray-221557

Excerpts:

Since March, the campaign has been laying off field staff en masse around the country and has dismantled much of what existed of its organizations in general-election battlegrounds, including Florida and Ohio.

Last month, the campaign laid off the leader of its data team, Matt Braynard, who did not train a successor. It elevated his No. 2, a data engineer with little prior high-level political strategy experience, and also shifted some of his team’s duties to a 2015 college graduate whose last job was an internship with the consumer products company Colgate-Palmolive. Some of the campaign’s data remains inaccessible.

***

At the moment, though, Trump’s team appears to be something of a patchwork group without much experience—partly because so many staffers are being fired.

Only four of 11 Iowa staffers continued on after Trump lost that state’s caucuses in February. More recently, most of Trump’s South Carolina, Florida and Ohio teams have not had their contracts renewed, according to a person familiar with the campaign, who said the lack of organization in Florida was putting Trump at a disadvantage in the delegate selection process.

***

Multiple staffers and advisors left the campaign last month in protest of the way its management was treating its staff, a source familiar with the departures told POLITICO.

It looks like Trump is bring his reality TV expertise to his campaign.

[Lyin' Steve]

Other than the hiring of a college grad to run data (which they hardly use anyway) most of the article complaints are about Trump cutting people in states that have already voted.

[Joe Republic]

Other than the hiring of a college grad to run data (which they hardly use anyway) most of the article complaints are about Trump cutting people in states that have already voted.

Swing states in the general election.

[ProudModerate2]

Other than the hiring of a college grad to run data (which they hardly use anyway) most of the article complaints are about Trump cutting people in states that have already voted.

Swing states in the general election.

Exactly. Why fire (get rid of) people who have the experience and knowledge of the area/state, when you will need them in just a matter of months ?
Why take a chance that they may refuse to return, or destroy their morale and enthusiasm for the campaign, as the article says ?
Especially in known toss-up states.

[Ebowed]

Mitt Romney "I love firing people" 2.0

[Enduro]

Let's hope his campaign can stick together long enough to clinch the nomination, and then fall into shambles.

[Averroës Nix]

So, is this more characteristic of the self-sabotage thesis, or is it more a matter of, "Let's dispel with the fiction that Donald Trump knows what he is doing?"

[PaperKooper]

Go ahead, drop out.  I won't mind!!