Trump will make two stops in Jackson Wednesday evening to attend a fundraising event as well as give a speech. The Mississippi Republican Party will host a $1,000 per-head private fundraising dinner at Jackson Convention Center. A rally will be held a few blocks away at the Mississippi Coliseum. Tickets are free but must be purchased beforehand. Since mid-July, Trump’s polling in Mississippi has been lower than any other state. According to a poll by Republican-leaning Magellan Strategies, Trump leads Hillary Clinton in Mississippi by 15 points. Clinton has 54 percent of the vote. Trump is trailing in polls in several battleground states with more electoral votes than Mississippi’s six. Many Republican strategists and insiders from Mississippi are puzzled by Trump’s decision to visit Jackson 75 days before the election. Pete Perry, Hinds County GOP Chairman, said that his visit here is unusual given the fact that he will win Mississippi and win big. He seems to enjoy the big events. He enjoys the big events. But he doesn’t pick up any electoral college votes in Mississippi.” Trump’s Mississippi trip was originally planned as a fundraiser. The Mississippi Republican Party announced the private fundraiser August 15. Trump’s campaign announced that the rally would be added to the Coliseum on August 18. Perry stated that the fundraiser was put together first and then the rally added later. The campaign stated that he was already here, so what could they do? Organizing a fundraiser is not unusual. It was a good idea. The idea was logical. Trump has broad support in Mississippi from both voters and the Republican leadership. New York business mogul, John Kasich, won 47 percent of Mississippi’s March primary vote. He easily defeated Ted Cruz (36%), and Gov. John Kasich (8 percent). Early afternoon, Trump supporters had already begun to arrive in order to secure a seat at the speech of the candidate. Gov. Phil Bryant has been a strong supporter of the candidate since May. He even attended a meeting with Trump at Trump Tower in New York City on June 14, along with other Republican governors. Clay Chandler, Clay Chandler’s spokesperson, said that Bryant, who is the Mississippi campaign chair, will be attending both events today. Cindy Hyde Smith, the state agriculture commissioner, is part of Trump’s agricultural advisory committee. Trump’s campaign announced Tuesday that Lynn Fitch, Mississippi Treasurer, will be leading the Women for Trump committee. A spokesperson confirmed that Fitch would also be attending both events. Trump will make his third trip to the state today since he announced his candidacy in 2015. Trump spoke at Madison Central High School’s rally on March 7, one day before the Mississippi primaries. Trump spoke previously at a rally in Biloxi on Jan. 2. The rallies attracted thousands of supporters. The Mississippi Department of Transportation issued a press release noting Trump’s events and warning motorists about the possibility of congestion on I-55/I-20 in downtown Jackson, Hinds County, and Rankin County. Trump Jr., Donald Trump’s son, campaigned at the Neshoba Country Fair in July for his father and was greeted by a large crowd. On Wednesday morning, the nominee will be in battleground Florida to attend a rally at Tampa. Trump campaigned Tuesday in Texas, a traditionally red state that Trump appears poised to win. He attended two fundraisers there, including a taping of a town hall with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, and a rally at Austin. John Morgan Hughes, a Mississippi political strategist and owner of JM Hughes Group, said that it’s difficult to find a reason for anything the campaign does. I doubt they are seeing numbers internally that the rest of us are. That would explain why he is coming to Mississippi so close to the general election. I believe Mississippi is one of those places you can almost certainly put into the 55-60% (support) column.” Jennifer Dunagin, spokeswoman for the Mississippi Republican Party, stated that Donald Trump was traveling across the country to raise money for his presidential campaign. “Just like Hillary Clinton fundraises for her campaign in blue states like California and Mississippi, Donald Trump is visiting red states like Mississippi and Texas.” Trump’s campaign has not responded to requests for comment regarding the Trump campaign’s decision to visit Mississippi. The Trump campaign released a statement Tuesday detailing his week ahead but did not mention the Mississippi visit. The statement mentioned Tuesday’s Texas stop, the Wednesday morning Florida leg, and noted plans for Saturday’s visit to battlegrounds Nevada and Iowa. Clinton, who received 83 percent of Mississippi’s Democratic primary vote, has not visited Mississippi in over a year since her announcement of her candidacy. Bobby Moak, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, said that it’s still possible for either Clinton or Vice Presidential nominee Tim Kaine to visit Mississippi before the general election. Moak stated that it was admirable for Donald Trump to visit a state such as Mississippi, but also perplexing politically. “It’s all about money, so far as I can see.” Trump’s campaign continues to deal with the shift in top leadership positions. Last week, Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager, resigned and Kellyanne Conway assumed control. The campaign has canceled rallies in Oregon, Nevada, and Colorado since then. Trump plans to attend the fundraisers that were originally associated with these rallies, however. The Jackson rally was still going on Wednesday morning. Dunagin stated that Donald Trump was also holding a rally tonight to see as many Mississippi supporters possible, which we consider admirable. Others Republicans strategists attributed today’s visit, which was a result of the Trump campaign’s unconventional and sometimes successful campaign methods, to other Republicans. Hayes Dent, a Mississippi Republican strategist, said that “In the traditional model, we have been losing races.” He has also worked on many presidential campaigns. Maybe stopping in Mississippi is part of this unconventional approach. I believe that Trump’s campaign is continuing to learn and evolve, despite the fact that they aren’t following conventional wisdom. With this in mind, perhaps they are doing the right thing and coming here. It’s difficult to know for certain.” To support this important work, make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. To ensure that our work is aligned with the priorities and needs of Mississippians, we are listening to you. 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