Old President Trump
Donald Trump: Romney destroys the end of the filibuster, the expansion of SCOTUS McConnell, the GOP declares that the executive order of Biden against SCOTUS USA generates concern for the gravity of Iran in nuclear talks MORE is about to speak with major Republican Party donors this weekend amid an internal party debate over the influence it maintains over party funding.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is hosting a retreat in Palm Beach, Florida, though donors will make the short pilgrimage to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday evening to meet the former president himself, a tacit sign of the gravitational attraction. it still holds in Republican circles.
The event comes as an internal rumor about the party’s protection against the party – and the flow of contributions – that has grown since the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. Trump and the party were about to fight earlier this year, when Trump said donors should only give their leadership PAC and lose contributions to party organs for their use of their name and likeness. Republican Party officials responded that the party still needed donations toward a medium-term cycle in which control of the House and Senate is ready.
The prospects for a fundraising rivalry became more apparent after it was revealed that Trump’s Save America PAC ended the first quarter with a whopping $ 85 million in cash in hand, setting itself up as financial juggernaut at the November 2022 marathon.
“I think in this cycle, you’re going to have Trump’s PAC run at the same level or even above how funded it is and the ability to grab the megaphone and especially influence those primaries,” the GOP donor said. Dan Li told Eberhart to The Hill.
“I want to see Trump working to help Republicans, not to resolve the results. And I don’t want the NRSC [the National Republican Senatorial Committee] and NRCC [the National Republican Congressional Committee] having to constantly fight friendly fire to move the ball down, ”Eberhart added.
Trump has already promised to support a large number of candidates across the map by 2022, with most of his endorsements so far aimed at lawmakers in non-controversial positions.
However, the former president has informed the GOP that he will consider supporting candidates who may not be the candidate chosen by the party, indicating that he could use his PAC as a vehicle to resolve intra-party scores.
“When necessary and timely, I will support the main rivals who advocate Making America Great Again and our America First policy. We want bright, strong, thoughtful and compassionate leadership, ”Trump said in a February statement.
Trump faced that threat when he backed former aide Max Miller, who is the rep’s top representative. Anthony GonzálezAnthony Gonzalez: Trump faces power test with Boehner’s first endorsements backing Republicans who backed Trump’s ouster Trump and Ohio Senate nominee meeting tense: reports MORE (R-Ohio), one of ten House Republicans who voted to accuse Trump of his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurgency. The former president has also pledged to support some primaries against Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski GOP super PAC backs Murkowski amid major threat to Biden-GOP infrastructure talk of rocky start Moderate GOP senators and Biden clash at start of infrastructure debate MORE (R-Alaska), one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict him in his impeachment trial.
Warnings like these worry Republicans that Trump may use his financial prowess to fill the coffers of far-right candidates who may face the wind in the general election and who would not normally have strong financial support without the support of the ex-president.
“I think his initial turnstile test is, he’s a Trump Republican, he supports MAGA policies, he’s loyal to Trump. And I think it’s going to be his first turnstile test,” Eberhart said. “And sometimes the winner cannot be the most eligible person “.
On the other hand, if Trump and Republicans worked together, donors say the party will be in a good position in the medium term.
The Republican Party has to invest only 5 seats in the House and one seat in the Senate to win a majority in both houses, and the White House party traditionally loses seats in the first term of a new government.
“If they are able to work together and Trump World can provide air support and energy, I think it really puts us in a very unique position to do very, very well in the midterm elections,” Eberhart said. “So if we historically have the wind in our backs and Democrats exaggerate and increase energy, momentum, and resources because of Trump’s involvement, we could potentially spend a gigantic night in November 2022.”
Some observers already see the divisions between Trump and the party being repaired.
After the fundraising outbreak erupted earlier this year, the Republican Party continued to send fundraising requests advocating its support for a number of Trump policies. These petitions have not received any setbacks from the former president, indicating that Trump could have moved on from the dispute.
“Trump has such strong pronouncements that you won’t know later. And if you look at what the party committees have been posting, etc., they’re as pro-Trump as they can be, without using their likeness, etc. told The Hill Doug Heye, a former RNC communications director.
Regardless of how the fundraising spit is shaken, Republicans say the fact that the retreat is being held in Palm Beach underscores Trump’s influence in the party and Republicans ’eagerness to stay on his good side. .
“There’s a reason they go to Florida,” Heye said, “and it’s because that’s where Donald Trump is. Period.”