Continuing a theme he started Thursday morning on the cable talk show circuit, Donald Trump appears to be opening the door to the possibility he could lose the race for the White House.
Speaking to hundreds of evangelical leaders in Orlando, Florida, Trump rattled off problem states that could cost him the election, The New York Times reported:
- "We're having a tremendous problem in Utah."
- "We need help" in Ohio.
- He can't carry Virginia without the evangelical vote.
"Had you voted for (Mitt) Romney, it would have been much closer," the Times quoted Trump, referring to the 2012 election. "You didn't vote for Romney, the evangelicals. Religion didn't get out and vote."
Trump started off Thursday by acknowledging for the first time that he might not win the election, saying on CNBC's "Squawk Box" that if things don't work out, "I'm going to have a very, very nice long vacation."
"If at the end of 90 days I've fallen short because I'm somewhat politically correct even though I'm supposed to be the smart one and even though I'm supposed to have a lot of good ideas, it's OK," Trump told CNBC.
"I go back to a very good way of life. It's not what I'm looking to do. I think we're gonna have a victory, but we'll see."
Thursday's range of comments came after a couple of tumultuous weeks of bad poll numbers for Trump, who earlier in August countered by telling supporters that he feared the election would be rigged and suggested "Second Amendment people" can stop Hillary Clinton.
However, Trump is confident in at least one battleground state.
"I think we'll win Pennsylvania because of the miners," the Times quoted Trump telling the pastors and church leaders in Orlando. "She wants the miners out of business. She wants steel out of business."
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