5 areas outside the battlegrounds that show how Trump expanded his coalition: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the policy deskevening bulletin that brings you the latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill from the NBC News Politics team.

In today’s edition, national political correspondent Steve Kornacki breaks down the blue areas across the country where Donald Trump is expanding his coalition. Plus, top national politics reporter Matt Dixon examines the expected domino effect of Trump’s nomination of Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state in Florida.

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5 areas showing how Trump is expanding his coalition beyond the battlefields

By Steve Kornacki

Donald Trump carried seven key battleground states, but his accomplishments outside of swing states, particularly in the largest, bluest parts of the country, set him up to become the first Republican to carry national popularity in 20 years. vote. These five jurisdictions help explain where and how Trump has expanded his coalition most dramatically.

Osceola County, Florida

Population: 388,000

2024 result: Trump +1.5

2020 Result: Biden +14

South of Orlando, this fast-growing county is one of three Hispanic majorities in the state, with Puerto Ricans the largest subgroup. Trump already made big strides here four years ago, cutting a 25-point deficit to 14 points in 2016, and this time he won it outright. His particular strength with Puerto Ricans is part of a broader national shift of Hispanic voters toward the Trump-led GOP. That’s doubly important amid the controversy over a joke about Puerto Rico at Trump’s ceremony. Madison Square Garden rallyIt will erode Trump’s support in Puerto Rico, Democrats argue.

Lawrence, Massachusetts

Population: 89,000

2024 result: Harris +17

2020 Result: Biden +49

Don’t be fooled by the margin: It was a disastrous result for Democrats in Massachusetts’ most Hispanic city. When Trump ran for office in 2016, he was crushed by 66 points in Lawrence, an old mill town on the Merrimack River. Four years ago, he lowered his score to 49. His 57%-40% defeat this time is the first time a GOP presidential candidate has broken 40% since 1988, when the city was still predominantly white. Dominicans are the largest Hispanic subgroup in Lawrence, demonstrating the breadth of Trump’s gains.

Loudoun County, Virginia

Population: 420,000

2024 result: Harris +16

2020 result: Biden +25

In the DC metro area, the population growth of suburban/exurban Loudoun and the political shift toward Democrats in recent years are the main reasons why Virginia has emerged as a reliably blue state in presidential elections. But last week, Loudoun unexpectedly swung back in the GOP direction, with Trump shaving nearly 10 points off his 2020 deficit. One reason: The county has an unusually high concentration of Asian-Americans (21%), another non-white group that has eroded Democrats’ previously large advantage in these elections.

Rockland County, New York

Population: 341,000

2024 result: Trump +12

2020 result: Biden +2

Rockland, not far from New York, has the highest concentration of Jewish residents (about 1 in 3) of any region in America. The Trump campaign has tried to channel the backlash against left-wing pro-Palestinian protests into new Jewish support, and while national exit polls show no meaningful GOP traction, Rockland’s 14-point swing to Trump suggests movement is here. Part of this may be due to the county’s large Orthodox community, which leans more to the right than the Jewish population as a whole. But given that the Jewish vote is so small and difficult to measure nationally, Rockland’s result makes it more likely that Trump will have more success with the group than exit polls suggest.

McKinley County, New Mexico

Population: 73,000

2024 result: Harris +25

2020 result: Biden +39

Three out of every four McKinley residents are Native American, and the Navajo language is still widely spoken in the county. Here and elsewhere, Native Americans have long been a heavy Democratic constituency. But Trump’s gains with non-white voters are evident here as well. His 25-point loss in McKinley is actually the closest a Republican has come here in 40 years. The possibility of such a change is part of the Trump campaign’s late push in New Mexico, despite a 6-point statewide deficit.

Trump transition clock

President-elect Donald Trump continues the process of building his administration, finding allies for key posts.

• Trump plans to nominate South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Noem expressed his support for the president-elect’s tough immigration policies and defended his fellow Republican governors in their efforts to crack down on immigrants in their states.
• Trump is expected to nominate Senator Marco Rubio of Florida secretary of statealthough he could still change his mind. Rubio, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and vice chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, appears to be able to inject enough gravitas into Trump’s political base without potentially damaging relations with foreign allies.
• Trump has said he intends to nominate former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee US Ambassador to Israela high-profile diplomatic message in a tumultuous region.
• Trump has chosen US Representative Mike Walsh of Florida for his position national security adviser. Waltz has a hawkish view of China and is critical of US aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
• FBI Director Christopher Wray and Trump’s team they plan for the possibility said the president-elect would replace Wray. One of the people being considered for Wray’s job is Trump adviser Kash Patel, who is believed to be the head of the CIA.

Trump’s cabinet gives Ron DeSantis a gift, but strings may be tied.

By Matt Dixon

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will get another chance to put another stamp on state politics with a major appointment if Sen. Marco Rubio becomes secretary of state. But one major question stands in the way of this opportunity: how much does President-elect Donald Trump want his daughter-in-law Lara to be a US senator?

DeSantis, like any Florida governor, has the ability to unilaterally appoint someone to fill a Senate vacancy after Trump’s order. Rubio is expected to be nominated to lead the State Department. Trump could still change his mind, three sources familiar with the selection process warned, adding that the decision won’t be final until the president-elect makes an official announcement.

But if Rubio’s Senate seat becomes open, there’s no question DeSantis will face at least some pressure from the Trump team to nominate the nominee they want, according to seven people following the debate over the potential vacancy, which would almost certainly be Lara Trump.

After seeing the two men, DeSantis doesn’t have to listen to Trump relationship breakdown Between DeSantis’ national rise and failed 2024 presidential campaign. But the president-elect carried Florida by nearly 13 points this year, giving Trump political capital and at least the perception of leverage.

But Trump’s aspirations are far from the only consideration when it comes to a Senate seat that hasn’t been open for 14 years. Another route gaining attention would be a so-called “placeholder” strategy, according to five sources NBC News spoke to.

Under that scenario, DeSantis would likely appoint James Uthmeier, his longtime chief of staff and senior political adviser, who did legal work for Trump’s first campaign and advised former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Uthmeier gave DeSantis an open Senate seat to run before a likely second campaign for president in 2028 when a 2026 special election to fill Rubio’s remaining two years comes up.

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