5 regions outside the battlegrounds that show how Trump expanded his alliances: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online edition of From the Politics Desk. This evening newsletter brings you the latest reporting and analysis from campaigns, the White House and Capitol Hill from the NBC News politics team.

In today’s issue, national political correspondent Steve Kornacki takes a closer look at the blue areas across the country where Donald Trump has expanded his coalition. Additionally, senior national reporter Matt Dixon investigates the domino effect in Florida, where President Trump is expected to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state.

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5 regions outside of battleground states that show how Trump expanded his alliances

Written by Steve Kornacki

Donald Trump won seven core battleground states by a landslide, but it was the gains he made outside the battleground states, particularly in some of the nation’s largest and most vibrant regions, that made him the first Republican in 20 years to lead the nation. It is poised to become a leader in popularity. Vote. These five jurisdictions help tell the story of where and how President Trump most dramatically expanded the Union.

Osceola County, Florida

Population: 388,000

2024 result: Trump +1.5

2020 results: Biden +14

This fast-growing county just south of Orlando is one of only three Hispanic-majority counties in the state, with Puerto Ricans being by far the largest subgroup. Trump already made great strides here four years ago, going from a 25-point lead in 2016 to 14 points and winning outright this time. His particular strength with Puerto Ricans here is part of a broader national shift of Hispanic voters toward Trump’s Republican Party. And it’s doubly important given the controversy surrounding President Trump’s joke about Puerto Rico at his Madison Square Garden rally, which Democrats argued would undermine Trump’s support for Puerto Rico.

Lawrence, Massachusetts

Population: 89,000

2024 result: Harris +17

2020 results: Biden +49

Don’t be fooled by the small difference. This was a disastrous outcome for Democrats in Massachusetts’ most Hispanic city. When Trump ran in 2016, he lost by 66 points in Lawrence, an old mill town on the Merrimack River. Four years ago, he lowered it to 49 points. His 57% to 40% defeat is the first time a Republican presidential candidate has topped 40% here since 1988, when the city was still majority white. Dominicans are the largest Hispanic subgroup in Lawrence, demonstrating the breadth of President Trump’s interests.

Loudoun County, Virginia

Population: 420,000

2024 result: Harris +16

2020 results: Biden +25

In the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, suburban/suburban Loudoun’s population growth and recent Democratic political shift are the main reasons why Virginia emerged as a reliably blue state in the presidential election. But last week, Mr. Loudon unexpectedly swung back in the Republican direction, and Mr. Trump erased his 2020 deficit by nearly 10 percentage points. One reason is that the county has a disproportionate concentration of Asian Americans (21%), also a non-white group, and the Democratic Party’s previously strong lead has waned in this election. Because I did it.

Rockland County, New York

Population: 341,000

2024 result: Trump +12

2020 results: Biden +2

Rockland, not far from New York City, has the highest concentration of Jews of any county in the United States (nearly 1 in 3 people). The Trump campaign tried to use the backlash against the left-wing pro-Palestinian protests to generate new Jewish support, but although national exit polls showed no significant support among Republicans, Mr. Rockland was 14% against Mr. Trump. The support for the points suggests that there is movement 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 results may indicate that Trump had greater success with this group than exit polls showed. It enhances sexuality.

McKinley County, New Mexico

Population: 73,000

2024 result: Harris +25

2020 results: Biden +39

Three out of four McKinley residents are Native American, and the Navajo language is still widely spoken throughout the county. Both here and elsewhere, Native Americans have long been a heavily Democratic constituency. But it’s clear here that Trump made gains with nonwhite voters. The 25-point loss in McKinley was actually the closest for a Republican in 40 years. The possibility of such a shift is part of the reason why the Trump campaign delayed its push in New Mexico, even though it fell short by six percentage points overall.

Trump administration transition monitoring

President-elect Donald Trump continues the process of building his government, appointing allies to key positions.

President Trump plans to nominate South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to head the Department of Homeland Security. Noem has voiced support for the president-elect’s tough immigration policies and defended Republican governors who are trying to crack down on immigration in their states. Trump is expected to nominate Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, but he could still change his mind. Mr. Rubio, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and vice chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, is determined to thread a needle that sufficiently appeals to President Trump’s political base without unnecessarily damaging relations with foreign allies. It is thought that it is possible to do so. President Trump has said he intends to do so. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has been named U.S. ambassador to Israel, a high-profile diplomatic post in the turbulent region. Trump nominated Mike Walz, R-Florida, to serve as national security adviser. Walz has hawkish views on China and has criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia. FBI Director Christopher Wray and Trump’s team are planning for the next president to potentially replace Wray. One of the people being considered for Wray’s position is Kash Patel, a Trump adviser who is also being considered to lead the CIA.

Trump Cabinet hands Ron DeSantis a gift, perhaps with conditions

matt dixon

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Sen. Marco Rubio’s appointment as secretary of state will give Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a chance to give state politics a new face with a big move. However, one big question looms over the occasion. That’s how much President-elect Donald Trump wants his daughter-in-law, Lara, to become a U.S. senator.

Mr. DeSantis, like other Florida governors, has the power to unilaterally appoint someone to fill a vacancy in the Senate, and with Mr. Trump expected to nominate Mr. Rubio for secretary of state, this power is It will be activated. Three sources familiar with the selection process warned that Trump could still change his mind and that the decision is not final until the president-elect officially announces it.

But if Rubio’s Senate seat becomes available, there will be at least some pressure from the Trump campaign to appoint DeSantis’ preferred candidate, according to seven people tracking deliberations over the potential vacancy. There is little doubt that the candidate will be exposed to the virus, and that candidate will almost certainly be Lara Trump.

DeSantis doesn’t need to listen to Trump, as he’s seen a rift in their relationship amid DeSantis’ national rise and failed 2024 presidential campaign. But this year, the president-elect carried Florida by nearly 13 points, giving Trump political capital and at least some perceived influence.

But President Trump’s wishes are not the only consideration for the Senate seat, which has not been vacant in 14 years. Another route that’s getting a lot of attention is the so-called “placeholder” strategy, according to five sources interviewed by NBC News.

Under that scenario, Mr. DeSantis would be joined by James Usmayer, the president’s longtime chief of staff and top political adviser, who ran legal affairs for President Trump’s first campaign and advised former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. is likely to be appointed. Mr. Usmayer will then not run if the seat comes up in a special election in 2026 to fill the remaining two years of Mr. Rubio’s term, and Mr. DeSantis will likely be held in 2028. He will be offered a vacant seat in the Senate for his second presidential election.

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