At a town hall meeting Tuesday, Ivanka and Eric Trump told CNN that they missed the voting registration deadline due to the “onerous” rules of New York. Those rules required them to register more than a year ago and will keep them from voting for their famous father in next week’s New York primary.
But will this latest headline reflect badly on Donald Trump, or is it just part of slew of press attention that will work in his favor?
Family members of presidential candidates have long been the go-to in order to woo voters on the campaign trail. Michelle Obama was a hit with the Democratic Party, and Bill Clinton is campaigning for Hillary, stepping into the shoes she wore during his journey to the oval office.
The Trumps aren’t the only children in support of their political parents. Chelsea Clinton is also on her mother’s side. And Ted Cruz has featured his children in his campaign ads.
So do family members of presidential candidates make a difference?
Guest:
Julian Zelizer, presidential historian and Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of multiple books on U.S. political history, including The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress and the Battle for the Great Society (Penguin Press)