Trump Campaign ‘Keeping Track’ of Republicans Who Don’t Endorse Before Iowa Caucus in Pressure Campaign

(AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File)

A new CNN report details the Trump campaign’s ongoing efforts to get as many Republicans in Congress to endorse him before the Iowa Caucus next Monday.

Per the story:

A spate of recent endorsements from various members of Congress and governors – including every member of House GOP leadership and the No. 3 Senate Republican – is a direct result of Trump and his team’s ramped up effort to secure as many endorsements as possible in the final days before the Iowa caucuses. The former president’s advisers have quietly informed some Republicans that they are keeping track of who endorses him pre- and post-Iowa, four sources familiar with discussions told CNN.

“After he heard that they were keeping tabs, he decided — ‘If I’m going to endorse anyway, why be on the wrong side of this thing?'” noted one adviser to one of Trump’s most recent endorsers.

Firebrand Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) also told CNN that he had been approached by the campaign about abandoning Nikki Haley — who he endorsed in the GOP presidential primary in February — and casting his lot with Trump, but they were rebuffed.

“I’m very comfortable with my choice with Nikki. You see what she’s doing in the polls,” explained Norman. “I like Donald Trump. His policies were great. But we could use a person that can spend eight years trying to correct this country.”

GOP House Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has reportedly played a major role in the pressure campaign, according to CNN:

During a weekly conference meeting before the new year, Stefanik gave a presentation to GOP lawmakers on Trump’s poll numbers, arguing he is running away with the nomination and urging members to get behind him, according to attendees.

She also pointed out there are added perks to publicly endorsing Trump – namely, a bump in fundraising. Stefanik, who became the first Republican leader to endorse Trump, explained that members who have officially endorsed Trump can receive a special badge for their digital fundraising pages, which could help boost their efforts to raise money, sources said.

Back in 2016, Stefanik accused Trump of “tapping into the fear today of our security situation,” and argued that Republicans “should expect more substance out of our candidates,” but has developed into one of his most fervent backers in Congress and climbed the party leadership ladder in the process.