It seems the campaign for Donald Trump believes that Ohio is overrated when it comes to courting its electoral votes in November. When it comes to women supporting Trump, campaign chair Paul Manafort believes they will stand with Trump because they care about their husbands.
Manafort began the Republican National Convention Monday insulting the state's popular governor John Kasich which drew boos from "Morning Joe's" Monday audience.
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow revealed that the Ohio delegation has also been shoved into the back of the convention hall, away from all of the action and television cameras.
Host Chris Matthews cited campaign experts who talk about geography in crafting Trump's win in November. While Trump likes to say that states like California and New York are going to be fought for by his campaign, the reality is that Trump has to fight for states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. But Manafort says that the Trump campaign is going after 12-15 states, including states like New Jersey, which has voted for a Democrat in the last six presidential elections.
"We think Donald Trump expands the map in the ways for us to win, unlike Mitt Romney, which had one way to win," Manafort explained. When pressed about Ohio by Matthews, Manafort said "it depends."
"Historically, Republicans can't win without Ohio," Matthews hammered.
"That's because historically they couldn't win Pennsylvania, they couldn't win Wisconsin, they had trouble with places like New Jersey, they couldn't win in Michigan," Manafort said.
"You're going to win New Jersey?" Matthews exclaimed in shock.
"Right now we have polling that indicates New Jersey is within four points," Manafort said.
When it comes to Trump's problem with women, Manafort thinks they're coming home to the GOP as well, but not because he speaks to their rights but to the importance of their husbands.
"There are many women in this country who feel they can't afford their lives, their husbands can't afford paying for the family bills. Hillary Clinton is guilty for being a part of the establishment who created that problem," Manafort said about Clinton, who has worked for equal pay for women.
"You know what you just said now?" Matthews said with shock. "You said women are concerned about their husband's income. Do you think that's the 21st-century talking? That that's their big concern? How their husbands are doing?"
Following the interview, Maddow too remarked about the strange strategy of going after traditionally blue states and ignoring Ohio. "Not only is John Kasich not there but their senator running for reelection is not there, Rob Portman, and the Ohio delegation got chunked into the back of the room. And he just told Chris Matthews there that Trump doesn't need Ohio. Every other Republican in history has needed Ohio but Trump doesn't need Ohio because he's going to win New Jersey."
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