Ben Carson plots general election strategy

“Winning the primary doesn’t mean anything if you don’t win the general election,” said Terry Giles, a Houston lawyer, who is set to serve as Carson’s campaign chairman.

Carson’s exploratory committee is expected to announce later Tuesday that Doug Watts, who worked as advertising director for the Reagan-Bush campaign presidential campaign in 1984, will join as communications director. Edward Brookover has joined to help assess whether Carson should jump in and is expected to be the campaign’s senior strategist, and the group will unveil a campaign manager and deputy campaign manager on Wednesday

In an interview with POLITICO, Giles said the Carson team expects to raise $65 million between now and the Florida primary next year, and another $65 million between then and the general election. The Carson campaign is aiming to win 55 percent of the general-election vote, he said, the highest by a nominee in either party since Ronald Reagan in 1984.