Trump has burned out the GOP small donor base with endless fundraising for his legal bills and now Republican candidates need money.
But these people also said his PAC’s incessant appeals over email and text message have contributed to burnout among small-dollar donors who might otherwise send more of their disposable income to competitive races. Those donors, said one GOP fundraiser, are being “told they’re pitching in for a fight against Democrats” but are instead “helping Trump fight off his legal problems.” Some Trump small-dollar donors have reached out to the former president’s office to say they’d like to give more but cannot afford it after receiving so many requests.
Annoyance at the requests has gotten back to Trump, who has at times suggested his team should tone them down. And some of his advisers believe the list has been overused with too many misleading pitches.
Trump has burned out the Republican small donor base, and now that Republican candidates in close elections need money to potentially flip seats in the House and Senate, the cash isn’t coming because donors are tapped out.
Trump has spent more of his super PAC money on legal bills than he has given to Republican candidates. Donald Trump has claimed to be gearing up for a battle with Democrats, but he is using the money that he raises to try to keep himself out of jail.
There will be a lot of blame on Trump if Republicans fail to take back the House and Senate, but an overlooked area where Trump will be most responsible is that his greed gobbled up the Republican small donor pipeline and left GOP candidates underfunded a month before the midterm election.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
