Orlando, Fla. (AP) – “Trump needs you,” a fundraising email.
Another pleaded, “President Trump’s legacy is in your hands.”
Others announced, “Do you miss me yet?” T-shirt featuring Donald Trump’s smiling face.
With some Republicans scrambling to accept the former president, organizations accused of raising money for the party are all moving forward. The Republican National Committee and the party’s congressional campaign are eager to lure Trump’s small donors forward. Next year’s midterm elections, when the G.O.P. Hopes to regain control of at least one chamber of Congress.
But there is a problem: Trump himself. In his first speech since leaving office, the former president encouraged loyalists to give directly to him, essentially the G.O.P. Bypassing traditional groups that raise money for candidates.
Trump said Sunday at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, that “America First” is the only way to elect Republicans and contribute to our efforts to make America great again. “And it’s through Save America PAC and donaldjtrump.com.”
The comment was particularly noteworthy because Trump is usually disgusted to ask for money in person. Similar to the recent salvo in the fight to shape the future of the GOP, Trump made it clear that he has no allegiance to the party’s traditional fundraising operation, as he seeks to consolidate power.
This may help in already commanding in the chest of war helping their efforts to influence the party. Save America has over 80 million in cash on hand, of which 3 million have been collected since the CPAC speech, according to a person familiar with the total.
Some of that money could help Trump find a place with existing members of Congress who have surpassed him. In his speech on Sunday, Trump read aloud the names of every Republican who voted against him and vowed to defeat him. He already raped Ohio’s GOP. Has backed Republican challenger Anthony Gonzalez, who voted for Trump to impeach in the U.S. Capitol riots case.
“Trump’s direct show to them makes it clear that the general elements of the party … have to fight for consistency in the 2022 cycle,” said Dan Eberhart, a longtime Republican donor who gave large sums to all three. As well as in Trump’s campaign.
New Jersey RNC member Bill Palatucci called Trump’s remarks “disgusting” and “repulsive” and expressed concern that the G.O.P., like Georgia’s Senate runoff election in January, Will suffer more damage, if they do not work together.
“Listen, it is a free country. Anyone can create a Federal PAC or Super PAC and there is always a lot of competition for dollars. But after crossing the line there, people also have to be told not to give to important committees of the national party, ”Palatuchi said. “The former president will want to look beyond his own self-interest.”
An RNC and spokesman for the House and Senate Campaign Committee declined to comment. But others tried to reduce the apparent stress. They noted that, for example, Trump is speaking out on the RMC’s spring donor retreat – a major funding source on Palm Beach in April.
And Trump has told party president Rona Maddaniel in recent days that he wants to continue raising funds for the RNC.
Before making his money pitch on Sunday, Trump’s team quietly updated his fundraising filings. They transformed their Save America leadership PAC into an entity that could support other candidates as well, and their chief Donald J. Trump turned Mac America Great Again, or MAGAPAC. The money raised through Trump’s website now goes to Save America JFC, a joint venture between the two.
While Trump left the post as deeply unpopular, it is a powerful draw for small dollar donors, a reality that is evident in last week’s appeal for funding.
During an hour last Thursday, the RNC, both G.O.P. Congressional campaign committees and the Republican State Leadership Committee, which seeks to get Republicans elected to state office, have provided immediate funding to supporters.
And the National Republican Senatorial Committee warned this week that his “limited edition” T-shirt featuring Trump has almost sold out.
Regardless of Trump’s next move, the GOP is unlikely to remove him from its sales pitch anytime soon.
“Our digital fundraising strategy is simple: raise as much money as possible,” said Andrew Romeo, a spokesman for RSLC.
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