Trump campaign manager: Democrats' impeachment is a 'huge miscalculation' that 'lit up our base'

The Trump campaign is confident that the Democrats' impeachment crusade is backfiring and boosting the president's re-election prospects.

At a briefing with reporters on Thursday, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said that the Democrats' efforts are making it likelier that Donald Trump will remain at the White House for four more years, according to the Washington Times.

"They have ignited a flame underneath that, with 300-some days to go, actually makes our job easier in some ways," Parscale said. "This lit up our base. Turnout for our rallies has increased since the impeachment process started. I think it's a huge miscalculation by [Democrats]."

Trump campaign officials told reporters that the Democrats' impeachment efforts are infusing the re-election effort with cash, volunteers, and enthusiasm that is allowing the campaign to broaden the number of states beyond the 11 where they competed in 2016.

Pushing back against Silicon Valley

The Times also reported that Parscale detailed how the campaign is overcoming what he described as "voter suppression activity" by Silicon Valley tech companies, like Google and Twitter, that he argues are deliberately targeting the Trump campaign.

"We will be ready, and we have done the proper things that, even if Silicon Valley decides they want to shut us off in every way, we have plans to get around anything they want to do," Parscale noted.

"They can't take away from [us] knocking on doors. They're a day late and a dollar short … Long term, I think they're going to reverse on this, because not only are they hurting us, they're hurting the Bernie Sanders of the world, and they're hurting those on the other side who need to talk to their people across the country," he said. "This is just a deep state … establishment activity to make sure that establishment candidates have the biggest voice."

A bigger 2020 map

Trump campaign officials told reporters that their 2020 general election efforts will expand to 17 states: Arizona, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maine, New Hampshire, and Georgia. The campaign is reported to feel bullish about its chances to surpass the 304 electoral college votes it received in 2016.

"We have several paths to victory now," a senior campaign official said, according to the Times. "We have a lot of opportunities this time."