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The Memo: Trump in 2018: Five things to watch | TheHill

posted onJanuary 2, 2018
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Article snippet: True to his style, MORE’s first year in office was tumultuous and unpredictable.  There is no clear evidence that the nation’s 45th president is going to change his ways anytime soon. As he begins his second year in office, what are some of the big things to look out for?  Does he hit the campaign trail in advance of the midterms? Trump defied every prediction by coming from nowhere to win the presidency at his first attempt. But his attempts to use his appeal to help other candidates in 2017 had mixed results. This was clearest of all in Alabama, where he first campaigned for incumbent Sen. MORE — reportedly against the counsel of some of his advisers — only to see Moore lose the general election to Democrat Doug Jones in a state Trump had carried by 28 points in 2016. Trump is unpopular with the electorate at large, but very popular with Republican voters — a fact that greatly complicates the question of whether his presence at rallies and other campaign events will help or hurt Republican candidates.  Trump could help drive turnout up among the GOP base, but he could be equally energizing for the opposition. With an overall approval rating of just 39.8 percent in the RealClearPolitics average as of Sunday, Trump could also put off voters in the center ground. Does he keep faith with his legal team? The White House sought to contain the political damage from allegations of collusion with Russia when the president enlisted a separate, personal legal team to deal... Link to the full article to read more

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