Trump’s ground game questioned

Donald Trump is the likely Republican nominee at this point, but questions remain about his ability to wage a successful campaign in the fall. At the top of the list of concerns for many, according to an NBC News story, is the lack of an organization capable of informing, motivating, and most crucially, turning out, voters on election day.

Donald Trump Doesn't Have a Ground Game. Does He Need it to Win?

Donald Trump says he can win big in November by turning blue states red.

"I will win states that no Republican would even run in," he said, with his staff telling the Associated Press he is sending teams into 15 states by the end of May to begin that fight. But on the ground, there are few signs the action of building a large campaign apparatus is underway.

One Trumpcampaign source told NBC News that boasting to the AP of 15 state directors being deployed was a "piece ginned up to make it seem like we're doing something when we're not."

"It's either fluid or non-existent," the source continued, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "I would lean towards the latter."

The article goes on to note:

In interviews with NBC News, state and national staffers for the Trump campaign said they're not adding new staff yet even though it's just five months until the general election and Democrats start with a prohibitive advantage in the electoral college. Trump's team isn't worried. A nontraditional candidate doesn't need a traditional campaign, advisers say....

Allies say Trump's appeal is so massive there isn't a need for a strong ground game.

Trump has done well in primaries and caucuses without much of an organization, but few think he can replicate that feat in November. Whether his campaign is able to quickly build a ground game capable of competing with what most consider a well-oiled Democratic turnout operation could be the difference between success and failure on election day.