This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The Democratic National Committee is treating Donald Trump like a serious presidential candidate.



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The Guardian has learned that Trump has joined the tier of Republican White House hopefuls to whom the DNC assigns a full-time staff member, devoted to responding to statements and pushing back against his campaign.

Previously, the staffer in question only had New Jersey governor Chris Christie to monitor. But as Trump’s fortunes have risen in the polls and Christie’s have fallen, the DNC has changed its focus.

The decision makes Trump the ninth candidate (out of 17) to which the DNC is devoting such resources. In addition to Christie, Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio and Scott Walker are also so monitored.

Carly Fiorina, Ben Carson, Lindsey Graham, George Pataki, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Jim Gilmore and Rick Santorum do not make the list.

The committee has not ignored the real estate mogul in the past: when he announced his campaign, in June, the DNC issued a statement that said Trump added “some much-needed seriousness that has previously been lacking from the GOP field”. But the new move represents a more serious investment.

The former reality television star has rocketed to the front of the Republican field. Despite controversies including insulting remarks about Mexicans and immigrants and his questioning of the war record of Arizona senator John McCain – and this week a top aide denying that spousal rape is a crime – Republican voters have flocked to what they see as his straight-talking personality.

National polls give Trump a healthy lead over all of his GOP opponents and political betting markets have the outspoken billionaire as the fourth-most likely of the 17-strong field to win the Republican nomination.

Trump is well on course to participate in the first Republican debate, which takes place on 6 August and in which only the top 10 candidates will make the stage.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.