ORLANDO, Fla. — Weeks after taking office, President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Central Florida, rallying supporters in Melbourne.
Two years later, the campaign is headed back to Florida, a must-win state for Trump.
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“The president loves Florida,” said Randy Ross, an associate with the Trump campaign. “I’m excited that we are doing this at such a large venue.”
The venue is the Amway Center, and the campaign is expecting a full house at the 20,000-seat arena.
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The Trump campaign’s decision to kick off the 2020 campaign in Orlando was carefully made. Trump has work to do along the I-4 corridor to hold the state for his reelection.
In 2016, Trump lost the two largest counties along I-4 -- Orange and Hillsborough. While he was able to secure the rest of the counties, he failed to break 50% in two counties he ultimately carried: Seminole and Pinellas.
Since Trump’s win in 2016, his support in Seminole and Pinellas counties seems to have drifted, with both counties breaking for top-ticket Democrats Gillum and Nelson over DeSantis and Scott in the 2018 midterm elections.
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“The reality is Florida is critical to everybody, whether you are on the Democratic side or the Republican side,” said Ross.
The 2016 returns also show another possible vulnerability for Trump along the heart of I-4.
In 2016, Sen. Marco Rubio tied or outperformed Trump in every county except Marion and Sumter counties. The campaign will need to reach those Rubio voters who may have split tickets or withheld their votes in 2016.
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