Donald Trump’s campaign will huddle with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Thursday as the GOP presidential front-runner steps up his congressional outreach efforts.
Reps. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) and Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) will co-host a meeting at the Capitol Hill Club, just steps from the Capitol, in what’s expected to be the first of several regular gatherings while Congress is in session.
The two lawmakers were the first to endorse Trump last month and serve as the co-chairs of the campaign’s U.S. House Leadership Committee to spearhead outreach efforts.
{mosads}Ed Brookover, who manages delegates for Trump, is expected to attend, while the candidate himself is not.
A GOP aide involved in the planning for Thursday’s meeting said the discussion will focus on engaging lawmakers who have already endorsed or are considering supporting Trump.
Seven other Republican lawmakers have endorsed Trump to date apart from Collins and Hunter: Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.) and Reps. Lou Barletta (Pa.), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.), Renee Ellmers (N.C.), Tom Marino (Pa.) and Tom Reed (N.Y.).
Trump has been investing more time and resources into courting D.C. officials in recent weeks. His campaign opened a Washington office late last month to coordinate with the Republican National Committee, members of Congress and his delegate operation.
The real estate mogul also met with a handful of lawmakers at the Jones Day law firm blocks from the Capitol last month.