President Trump's campaign pollster John McLaughlin is expecting the “silent vote” for his boss to increase in this year’s presidential election.

“We have a president who is doing what we feel,” he said. In 2016, polls showed Trump losing to Hillary Clinton, but pollsters said many people simply lied about their choice out of fear they would be criticized for supporting the unconventional Republican.

In 2020, McLaughlin said that will happen again “on steroids.” ...



Last fall’s California wildfires did about $500,000 in damage around the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, home to the Gipper’s library and famous museum. And now, officials tell us that they are trying to raise money to make repairs and replace the destroyed trees. “We did get some real and heavy damage in the way of lost trees and IT equipment,” said Executive Director John Heubusch. He said insurance won’t cover it all. ...

There were lots of cheers inside the Pentagon when Trump nominated J. David Patterson to be the principal deputy undersecretary for personnel and readiness. He’s a familiar face in the building, having served as comptroller and as a special assistant. Plus, he was an Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War, an academic, and a company owner. “He’s the full package,” said one official. …