Trump Campaign Launching Regular Capitol Hill Meetings Next Week
— -- The Trump campaign is planning a meeting on Capitol Hill next week with lawmakers who have endorsed the Republican presidential front-runner, in what will be the first in a series of regular sessions as the campaign begins to expand its Washington, D.C. operation, sources tell ABC News.
One source described the congressional outreach effort as “the natural growth of the campaign” leading into the general election, despite a recent string of setbacks, including the Wisconsin primary.
The purpose of the meetings, which are still in the planning stages, will be for the campaign to begin to listen and learn about concerns members of Congress have, along with discussion of strategy to court uncommitted Republican lawmakers, as the New York businessman works to lock up the GOP nomination ahead of the convention this summer.
A congressional source also confirmed the meetings, telling ABC News that the campaign is attempting to organize the sit-down for some time next week, when the House is back in session.
Sources say the meeting is expected to include members of Trump’s campaign staff as well as congressional lawmakers. Trump himself is not scheduled to attend next week’s kickoff, which will be led by Reps. Duncan Hunter, R-California, and Chris Collins, R-New York, the chairmen of Trump’s House Leadership Committee.
Campaign Spokeswoman Hope Hicks did not immediately respond to ABC’s request for comment.
Trump senior adviser and top delegate strategist, Ed Brookover, is heading up the meetings, according to a source with knowledge of the plan. Brookover also serves as the campaign liaison to the Republican National Committee and Members of Congress.
In addition to Brookover, the campaign is about to hire an individual with experience as a Capitol Hill staffer to serve as a congressional liaison in their new Washington Office.
This new effort comes as Trump’s support among Republican voters appears to have begun to stall, with his most recent failure to close out rival Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in Wisconsin’s primary Tuesday.
So far, Trump has received nine congressional endorsements -- eight House Republicans and one senator -- but has clashed with leading Republicans over his proposal to ban Muslim immigration into the United States, violence at his campaign rallies and failing to distance himself from white supremacist supporters.
The New York businessman met with supportive lawmakers and DC Republican figures last month at the offices of law firm Jones Day on Capitol Hill, in a meeting that participants described as a frank exchange on policy and politics.
Last month, the campaign announced their plans to open a Washington, D.C. office tasked with delegate operations, congressional relations and coordination between the campaign and the Republican National Committee.
The office will be located in Alexandria, Virginia and will have about eight full-time staffers.
The campaign’s expansion to the nation's capital coupled with the hire of senior advisers based in the city, comes as Trump has begun focusing on a new battle that may have a broader set of consequences -- finding delegates who will be loyal to his cause at the Republican National Convention in July.
