Has Trump tapped out his base?
it sure looks that way
A recent Bloomberg news report1 revealed that Donald Trump’s PAC, for a presumed 2024 presidential run, has more than $387 million.
Pretty flush for a guy who doesn’t pay his own legal bills,2 but often pays them for others.3
According to the Bloomberg report, Donald Trump is paying 91 cents for every dollar raised. In 2020, Trump was paying about 77 cents for every dollar raised.
The usual interpretation of such a situation is that his small donor base is tapped out; and given that Trump’s PAC has spent nearly $3 million buying donor lists, it’s probably correct.
But it’s worth considering the alternative explanation.
Political donors often quit giving when they see no results or there is too much cash on hand close to an election. Trump’s PAC accrues money and spends virtually nothing.
Given how much effort and PR Donald Trump invest in his endorsements, it’s worth questioning why his money has not been spent on his elected Trump loyalists. Having a political base of elected officials who owe you for financing their way into office is worth a lot more than an endorsement.
Regardless of which it is — without a big Republican win in November, that $387 million is going to stick in the RNC’s craw for some time to come.
UPDATE: Flu seems to have finally passed. I am well.
https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-donations/
https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-has-a-new-sucker-to-pay-for-his-latest-legal-bills
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/30/us/trump-jan-6-lawyers-witness-pressure.html