ELECTION/GOP/IMPEACHMENT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Donald Trump is going all-in on a trio of Southern governor’s races in November, gambling that a clean sweep will help him regain his political footing at the most perilous moment of his presidency. Trump is expected to barnstorm Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana over the next few weeks while dispatching prominent supporters to help in each contest. And Vice President Mike Pence is planning a bus tour through Eastern Kentucky, a pivotal area on the state’s political map that could decide the fate of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. Trump badly needs a boost right now, and the White House sees the elections in the conservative states as the best near-term hope of achieving it. With the impeachment inquiry intensifying and congressional Republicans increasingly vocal in their criticism of the president, the elections give Trump the opportunity to demonstrate his political strength and shift a narrative that’s turned sharply against him.”
–Alex Isenstadt, “Trump dives into red-state races to reverse impeachment slump,” Politico, October 22, 2019 5:04 am