In his quest to reclaim the White House, few states hold as much promise for Donald Trump as Michigan.
The former president has previously won the state, and with President Joe Biden now facing vulnerabilities there, Trump's campaign sees an opportunity to secure Michigan as part of a robust swing-state strategy.
However, despite promises of an aggressive play for Michigan, the Trump campaign and its partners at the Republican National Committee (RNC) have yet to make significant investments in the state for the general election, according to Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra.
The national committee, he noted, has not transferred any funds to the state party to enhance its operations for the upcoming election. Additionally, there are no specific programs in place to appeal to voters of color, and there is currently no general election field staff in Michigan.
This scenario is reflected in other presidential battleground states, according to Republican operatives and party officials involved in campaign planning.
Although Trump's political operation was praised for its professionalism and effectiveness during the primary phase of the 2024 election, it has been slow to pivot toward the general election. Following a takeover of the Republican Party's national political machinery, Trump's team has scaled back previous plans to expand staff and outreach centers in key states.
With just six months remaining until the first early votes are cast in the general election, Trump's Republican Party is lacking substantial infrastructure compared to the Biden campaign.
In contrast, Biden's campaign has been rapidly expanding.
This month alone, Biden has opened 100 new offices and added over 350 new staffers in swing states, in addition to the existing staff of 100 in battleground states.
This disparity in infrastructure between the two campaigns has raised concerns among Republicans, although officials in swing states are not yet panicking.
Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign who now oversees operations at the RNC, declined to provide details of the Republican campaign's plans but emphasized the combined efforts of the Trump campaign and the RNC.
Despite the slow start, some Michigan Republican leaders, including Hoekstra, recently met with Trump and his senior campaign team, leaving them optimistic about Trump's commitment to the state.
Earlier this month, Trump replaced RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel with his new leadership team, including Lara Trump as RNC co-chair.
The new leadership promised significant changes in the GOP's political infrastructure.
However, these changes have led to layoffs of over 60 Republican staffers across the country, including those who worked in the RNC's minority outreach community centers and State Parties Strategies department.
Lara Trump has assured that the existing community centers will remain open, but it's uncertain whether plans to open 40 additional centers will proceed.
The centers were seen as crucial in improving the Republican Party's relationships with minority groups who traditionally vote Democratic.
As Trump's team rewrites the party's 2024 battleground-state strategy, there is uncertainty about when the field staff will be in place.
Some recently laid-off staffers have begun interviewing for new positions, but it's unclear if they will have to relocate
Georgia GOP Chair Joshua McKoon has had discussions with RNC leadership about deploying additional resources to his state but has not received a set timeline.
Meanwhile, newly elected RNC Chair Michael Whatley has promised to expand outreach efforts, although he did not provide specifics.
In contrast, Biden's campaign has launched a $30 million advertising blitz targeting swing-state voters, with a focus on Black and Hispanic-owned outlets and cultural and sports programming.
Biden has also been campaigning intensively in swing states, signaling his ambition to secure crucial states like North Carolina, which Trump narrowly won in 2020.
While Biden is actively engaging with voters, Trump has been less visible, with few public appearances aside from court appearances.
Biden's campaign spokesman criticized Trump's strategy, accusing him of hiding at his country club while the RNC fires staffers and shuts down minority outreach programs, suggesting that this approach may not resonate with voters or lead to electoral success.