Nearly four years after he launched his bid for the presidency at Trump Tower, President Trump will do it once again tonight, this time in Florida before a capacity crowd as he reckons with so-so polls and seeks to put his reelection bid on track. The president's rally, which comes less than 17 months before election day, will take place in one of the most crucial states on the 2020 map and as Democrats continue to smell blood in the water for next year. For now though, Trump is selling much of the same message that helped him win the White House nearly three years ago. As Niall Stanage writes, Trump faces a major question: Does he continue to play the hits and talk about the same issues (immigration, trade and national security), or does he offer a vision for the future and for a second term in office? At the moment, the smart money is on the greatest hits, especially as he continues to keep tariffs and trade negotiations in the news, along with his push for border funding in the coming months as Congress debates a spending package. On Monday night, Trump tweeted new threats to deport millions of people living in the country illegally. They will be removed as fast as they come in," he wrote. He said Immigration and Customs Enforcement would next week "begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States." An administration official told The Associated Press the effort would focus on the more than 1 million people who have been issued final deportation orders by federal judges but remain at large in the country. It's unusual for federal officials to announce migrant raids before they take place. The president is also selling a strong economy, touting the nation's lowest unemployment rate in 50 years. But while those core issues remain at the center of his pitch to voters, it remains to be seen whether he stays on message today. While on the trail in support of then-Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.) in September 2017, Trump went off-script to rail against NFL players who took a knee during the national anthem. The NFL comments created a firestorm and many people forgot the intended goal of the rally: to support Strange, who lost to Judge Roy Moore in the GOP primary to replace former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. It also remains to be seen how much Trump focuses on the burgeoning 2020 Democratic race, specifically, former Vice President Joe Biden. Biden was a Trump target well before entering the Democratic race in late April. Both men campaigned in Iowa last week, creating a split screen of the president and the Democratic frontrunner at dueling events. One issue Republicans are hoping and praying Trump avoids is talk of a new health care proposal, a topic he raised with ABC News last week during an interview. The president said he would unveil a new plan to deliver "phenomenal" health care to Americans, perhaps this summer. As Alexander Bolton writes, Republican lawmakers see health care as a political loser for them. House Democrats made health care their top issue during the 2018 cycle, which saw them retake the chamber after the GOP failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) denounced Trump on Monday for reviving plans to repeal and replace the health care law, saying Democrats would "fight relentlessly" against it. While polling shows Trump trailing across the board, especially against Biden, he does have multiple advantages, including fundraising. In the first quarter alone, Trump posted a $30 million haul, and he is likely to replicate that throughout the next year as 2020 Democrats battle to win the party's nomination. Additionally, it remains a tall task to defeat an incumbent president, something Democrats admit even though polling is currently in their favor. On the Democratic side, Biden is scheduled to head to California later this month for a series of fundraisers as he looks to cement himself as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination with a robust second fundraising quarter. According to Amie Parnes, fundraisers expect Biden to post at least a $20 million quarter, with some expecting the total to reach $25 million. Biden hinted at as much on Monday night at a fundraiser in New York, telling attendees that the campaign has 360,000 donors with an average contribution of $55, giving him $19.8 million. Additionally, allies believe this is important for Biden and his main 2020 argument: that he is the candidate to beat and the one to defeat Trump next year. In Washington on Monday, Biden indicated that not only can he win swing states, but also traditionally red states, including Georgia, South Carolina and Texas. The last dash for dollars is part of a key stretch for the former vice president, who will also share a debate stage with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg next week in Miami. The Washington Post: Democrats fret over the never-ending Trump show. Peter Baker: Four years ago Trump was seen as a sideshow. Now he is the show. The Wall Street Journal: Trump focuses campaign hopes on Florida. The Washington Post: Biden gets muted reception at poverty-fighting event. Jonathan Allen: The match-ups to watch at the Democratic presidential debate. © Getty Images
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