Trump’s ousted political director: I ‘firmly believe’ Trump will win

Donald Trump’s ousted national political director said he still sees the presumptive GOP nominee winning the presidential election.

“The path exists,” Rick Wiley told Bloomberg Politics. “I firmly believe this guy’s going to win.”

{mosads}Trump’s campaign fired Wiley last week, six weeks after he was hired. Reports surfaced afterward of a power struggle between campaign aides and Wiley.

He did not explain why he was fired but said it didn’t have to do with reported tension between campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and top aide Paul Manafort. 

“I never witnessed the spat,” Wiley said. “Corey and Paul are working hand in hand to make sure we’re fully funded to run the ground game and TV and voter contact. It wouldn’t work if they weren’t working together.”

Trump reportedly hired Wiley after advice from Manafort but never had a close relationship with him.

{mosads}Wiley told Bloomberg that Trump would be able to win over battleground states “where everyone says he can’t” because he would appeal to non-Republican voters.

“The unwritten story is the enthusiasm gap,” he said.

He also said the electoral map is “devastating” for Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. He said Clinton needs the support of millennials and African-Americans to win but that they “aren’t as excited about her like they were for Obama.”

“When Manafort came on, he said we have multiple ways to secure the nomination. He was right. And that’s what this map looks like, as well,” Wiley said. “Trump’s message resonates, and people still underestimate that. He’s saying, ‘No one’s been looking out for you. I’ll look out for you.’ No one has said that, and they’re dying for someone like that. This is an election where voters want someone to say, ‘Hey, I have your back.’ ”