CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KBTX) – President Donald Trump is in Corpus Christi days before the Texas primary, and a political science expert says the timing and location of the visit were no accident.<\/p>\n
Mike Yawn, a political science professor at Sam Houston State University, said while Texas has been a reliable Republican stronghold for decades, a record number of Democratic primary voters this cycle may have prompted the visit.<\/p>\n
\u201cTexas has historically been, for the last 20, 30 years, a safe hold for the Republicans,\u201d Yawn said. \u201cBut there is a record number of voters, voter turnout in the Democratic primaries this year. And I think that may have caught some attention of some high-ranking officials.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yawn said Trump\u2019s appearance is likely aimed at driving a last-minute surge in Republican turnout ahead of election day.<\/p>\n
Who He Hasn\u2019t Endorsed May Be the Bigger Story<\/p>\n
One of the most-watched aspects of the visit is whether Trump will endorse any candidates, but Yawn said the more notable story may be who Trump has not endorsed.<\/p>\n
\u201cConventionally, if you were going to endorse a candidate, you would do so well before the primaries began,\u201d Yawn said. \u201cBut Trump has a history of defying expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump has not endorsed incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, and has also distanced himself from Rep. Tony Gonzalez amid recent controversies surrounding the congressman.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think who he\u2019s not endorsed is more of a story right now than who he has endorsed,\u201d Yawn said.<\/p>\n
Talarico Pivots to Rio Grande Valley<\/p>\n
Democratic statewide candidate James Talarico, who had been scheduled to appear in Corpus Christi, changed course and headed to the Rio Grande Valley instead. Yawn said that move makes strategic sense.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Donald Trump is in the room, he sucks the media oxygen out of the room,\u201d Yawn said. \u201cIf you are a Democratic statewide candidate and you happen to be in the same locale as the president, you\u2019re probably not going to get a lot of attention.\u201d<\/p>\n
Could the Visit Backfire \u2014 for Both Parties?<\/p>\n
Yawn said Trump\u2019s presence could have an unintended effect on Democratic enthusiasm as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Democratic surge has largely been a function of Trump\u2019s unpopularity among the Democratic Party,\u201d he said. \u201cSo ironically, Trump\u2019s presence here in Texas could not only help a Republican surge, but it could help the Democratic surge continue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Timing and Location: A Calculated Move<\/p>\n
With early voting winding down, Yawn said a last-minute presidential visit is unlikely to produce a massive shift, but it could still move the needle.<\/p>\n
\u201cRepublicans are more likely to wait until election day to vote than Democrats are,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I think Trump has timed this to where he can try to get out anybody who\u2019s on the fence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yawn also noted the strategic value of Corpus Christi specifically, pointing to its role in Trump\u2019s energy agenda and its proximity to South Texas \u2014 a region where Trump has made significant inroads with Hispanic voters in recent election cycles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think both the timing and the location were well planned,\u201d Yawn said.<\/p>\n
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