Clinton camp says they could crush Trump BEFORE Election Day by building up 'insurmountable lead' in early vote count in swing states

  • Campaign said on a conference call that its able to project based on the early vote totals whether it will beat Trump in crucial states
  • It's putting a heavy focus on turning out Clinton's supporters now so it has fewer people to worry about on Election Day
  • 'It is possible, because there is so much access to early voting, that we could build an insurmountable lead in those key states before Election Day'
  • Clinton's running behind in Ohio in surveys of the state, though, and she's barely ahead in Florida and North Carolina
  • Her manager says they're looking to the next debate to see if Trump 'demonstrates the ability to be steady and not unravel or unwind'

By Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent For Dailymail.com

Published: 16:47 EST, 6 October 2016 | Updated: 07:10 EST, 7 October 2016

Hillary Clinton's campaign says so many of its voters are casting their ballots early that it could have an 'insurmountable lead' over Donald Trump in swing states before Election Day.

A record number of Floridians, for example, have mailed in their ballots, and more of those forms are being requested by Democrats than Republicans, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said Thursday.

In Iowa, twice as many Democrats are voting early in person, and three times as many Democrats have returned their ballots. Turnout has also been 'very high,' Mook said, in Democrats' two strongest counties in Wisconsin.

'It is possible, because there is so much access to early voting, that we could build an insurmountable lead in those key states before Election Day,' Mook told reporters during a conference call.

Hillary Clinton's campaign says so many of its voters are casting their ballots early that it could have an 'insurmountable lead' over Donald Trump in swing states before Election Day

Hillary Clinton's campaign says so many of its voters are casting their ballots early that it could have an 'insurmountable lead' over Donald Trump in swing states before Election Day

Minnesota, Ohio and Virginia are also looking good for the campaign, Mook asserted.

'So across the board we're seeing very high turnout. We're seeing very high turnout in particular in strong Democratic areas, and we're seeing strong turnout among Democratic demographic groups,' he said.

The senior Clinton official defined those groups as blacks, Asians and Hispanics.

The campaign's projections are based not only on how many of Clinton's supporters are voting early, but how many low-propensity voters - those that do not participate in elections on a regular basis - are tuning in ballots.

Her campaign is paying special attention to North Carolina and Florida. 

'We have such a big proportion of the electorate that have cast their vote before Election Day that it is pretty easy for us at that point for us to then project out how then entire electorate how is going to go in terms of turn out,' Mook said.

He added, 'So that's why were able to get a good indication before Election Day.'

'The reason it is important for us strategically is first and foremost there are some people who are supporting us who are less likely to turn out.'

The focus on early voting puts less pressure on the campaign on  Election Day, he explained.

'The states where this is won in the margins, it really is a turnout game,' Mook stated. 'We think that we have a superior turnout operation than Donald Trump does, and the early voting is the time where we can really put that to use and exploit that advantage that we have.'

Clinton's campaign manager Robby Mook convened the call for reporters on Thursday afternoon

Clinton's campaign manager Robby Mook convened the call for reporters on Thursday afternoon

Clinton is leading by six points nationally in several polls. She's up by three in Florida, on average, and two in North Carolina. Trump has two points on her in Ohio, however, a crucial swing state that has been the decider of every presidential election since 1964.

She's had her surrogates up and down the state, and has spent considerable time there herself. Yet Trump has pulled ahead and stated ahead in the last month.

The candidates will have an opportunity to shake up the race on Sunday night when they debate in St. Louis, Missouri.

A town hall-style format, Clinton and Trump will have to respond to questions for 90 minutes.

Mook said their is ‘enthusiastic’ about the skirmish.

‘We think it’s a real opportunity for Secretary Clinton to showcase the policies and the specific plans that she has to make a real difference in peoples' lives.’

Working to set expectations for the former secretary of state's performance - and that of her opponent - he said, ‘The big question for us is will Donald Trump come with any specific plan? Will he have a command of the issues such that he can really address peoples' questions and explain to them how he will in fact make a difference?

‘As in the last debate we are eager to see if he demonstrates the ability to be steady and not unravel or unwind the way he did an hour into the last debate.’  

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