What the Donald Trump Campaign Is Saying About the Road Ahead
Senior Trump advisers said the road to a victory in November began today.
— -- One day after Donald Trump stepped closer to becoming his party's nominee with a decisive victory in the Indiana primary, his senior advisers told ABC News that the campaign's path to a win in November began today. Trump's small circle of confidants is expected to begin expanding, yet it does not appear the campaign will broaden its communications team.
One high-ranking adviser said the campaign will soon begin initial talks about a possible running mate, though a short list does not exist yet. This adviser stressed the candidate must have "significant government experience," and seemed to suggest someone with more time around Washington as opposed to a state leader such as a governor. The aide also suggested it must be someone Trump can have a real relationship with.
Before Trump declared victory Tuesday night, campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told reporters the running mate selection "hadn't started," adding, "Don't believe everything you hear."
The campaign will be taking a large role in organizing the party convention in July in cooperation with the Republican National Committee, according to sources. Trump has said repeatedly that past conventions have been "boring," and his team will work to create a program over the next several weeks that will have a traditional feel, sources said. Convention manager Paul Manafort's role will change, according to sources, as the political veteran will transition into convention planning since delegate courting is no longer a top priority.
As the campaign moves forward, expect Trump's children, who have campaigned by their father's side, to hit key states, at times solo, as they've proven to be effective messengers. One aide described them as Trump's "secret weapons."
In the coming weeks, as the final state conventions happen, campaign sources said to expect Trump supporters to attend not so much for any delegate wrangling, but for party unity.
Trump is scheduled to return to the campaign trail Thursday with a rally in West Virginia.