As the saying goes, better behind schedule than never: A Trump-linked super PAC is pouring millions into the 2022 midterms. That’s good news for many cash-strapped candidates as we enter the most critical and costly midterm period yet. Republican leaders have been asleep at the wheel all summer, or so it seems, given the lack of enthusiasm for the eventual winners of the GOP primaries. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been downright defeatist, saying the GOP likely won’t retake the Senate because of concerns about the quality of candidates. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) fled to Italy on a luxury yacht, doing nothing to facilitate Republican Senate candidates who desperately needed a financial boost. Scott has been accused of using the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which he chairs this cycle, to advance his political career.
Is it a coincidence that GOP leaders’ resistance to endorsing their slate of candidates in the 2022 midterms is a result of victories by Trump-backed candidates? I don’t think so — but that’s the nature of things. McConnell’s PAC may have pumped money into those races, and is doing so now — but what about the financial resources of the former president and his allies?
Yes, this pro-Trump PAC will inject a ton of much-needed funds into some key races, but MAGA Again, another PAC that has raised more than $100 million, has spent little of its war chest on the election. Trump PAC starting to write checks now — 40 days before Election Day — isn’t as gigantic of a foul as Scott’s posh Italian vacation at the height of this cycle and his generally soporific management style (via Daily Interlocutor):
Close advisers to former President Donald Trump are launching MAGA Inc., a fresh independent political action committee (PAC) that will funnel millions of dollars to fund Trump-backed candidates ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, Politico reported Friday.
MAGA Inc. will invest vast sums of money in key November midterm elections to facilitate elect Republican House and Senate candidates endorsed by the former president, such as Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert and Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance, Politico reported, citing people close to Trump. The PAC has an unlimited spending limit and could significantly boost GOP efforts to retake both the House and Senate, as Republicans have been outbid by Democrats in key races across the country.
“President Trump is committed to saving America, and Make America Great Again, Inc. will make sure that happens in the November election and beyond,” Trump spokeswoman Taylor Budowich told Politico.
Although Trump has endorsed more than 200 candidates, his current super PAC, MAGA Again!, has spent very little of its more than $100 million in funding and has had little impact on the midterm elections so far, the outlet reported. Super PACs, such as MAGA Inc., can raise unlimited amounts of money from corporations and individuals but are not permitted to contribute directly or coordinate with parties or candidates, according to the Federal Election Committee.
Still, it doesn’t paint the MAGA crowd in a good airy either. While the establishment was allergic to MAGA candidates, that was exacerbated by McConnell and Scott’s intraparty squabbling over the management of the NRSC. I’m betting that the upper echelon of the GOP decided that high inflation, an economic recession, and the general incompetence of the Biden White House were enough to send the election into self-driving mode.
On the MAGA side, they conveyed this confidence that an economic recession could drive the stakes to the top. But nothing is inevitable, and you still have to commit and hammer home the basics of the campaign. You still have to canvass the neighborhoods, visit key figures who represent essential voting blocs, and saturate the media with your ads, hammering home why people should send you to DC. There is no cruise control in elections, even those perceived as definitely winnable.
The GOP establishment needs to accept that the Trump element of the base will remain, their message is popular, and their candidates will win more than a few primaries and general elections. The MAGA wing should start handing out money well before the 40 days are up. Both sides need to realize that their differences are really peripheral issues that could have been discussed later. First, win the damn election.
