President Trump’s reelection campaign is considering investing in Oregon, CNN reported Tuesday.
The outlet obtained a memo from pollster Tony Fabrizio to the Trump campaign containing ideas for “expanding the map” to give the president more options for getting the 270 electoral votes needed to win reelection, including Oregon.
A senior Trump campaign source told CNN that they are considering hiring staff to “test the waters” in the state after hearing from Fabrizio and talking to the National Republican Congressional Committee.
{mosads}”If we are a month out and a previous victory like Michigan is not possible, would be nice to know other states are options,” they said.
Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on CNN’s report.
Oregon has been a reliably blue state in presidential elections for years.
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the state by 11 percentage points in the 2016 presidential election, and the last time the state voted for a Republican candidate was 1984.
Former President George W. Bush came within 8,000 votes of Al Gore in Oregon in 2000, but lost the state by 4 percentage points to John Kerry in 2004.
An Oregon Democratic Party official insisted that Trump doesn’t stand a chance in the state.
“It makes sense that the GOP would be interested in refurbishing their reputation out here. Their party has championed putting kids in cages, taking health care away from working families and defiling the Constitution. This is not the Oregon way,” Molly Woon, deputy director of the Oregon Democratic Party, told CNN. “They’re welcome to visit, but they should be prepared for an icy reception from Oregon voters.”
An Oregon Republican Party official said they were eager for the national party to invest in the state for 2020.
“Every day Oregonians can see that President Trump is taking on the big problems and making the economy a huge success,” Kevin Hoar, communications director for the Oregon Republican Party, told CNN.
“This provides a powerful contrast between the policies we hear about from the 2020 Democratic presidential field, and the promises kept and success delivered by President Trump. Oregon continues to be home to a growing number of forgotten men and women, especially in rural Oregon, a major theme of his campaign since 2016,” said Hoar.