U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), was asked why the NRSC is lagging far behind Democrats when it comes to fundraising for competitive races in the first quarter. (Axios recently reported that “Democratic senate candidates are routing the GOP in fundraising.”)
On Fox News, Maria Bartiromo asked Daines: “How come you’re not keeping up with fundraising?”
Daines replied, “We have to compete with the elite billionaires, these tech billionaires who are pouring money into the cause of the Left.” He added: “We need help from the patriots, the grassroots efforts.” He repeated the URL of their fundraising website and said, “We need help.”
Note: Daines is reportedly one of the top 10 richest U.S. Senators with a net worth of $33 million.
Maria Bartiromo to NRSC chair Steve Daines: “If things are going so well, how come you’re not keeping up with fundraising?” pic.twitter.com/n5YcObOGlR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 9, 2024
According to Federal Election Commission filings made public in April, the Trump 47 Committee (a joint fundraising vehicle with the Republican National Committee which can accept checks up to $824,600 per donor) took in $23.5 million in the first three months of the year.
According to Forbes, billionaires who have donated the maximum amount to Trump include Intercontinental Exchange CO Jeffrey Sprecher (and separately his wife, former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler); hotel magnate Robert Bigelow; and J. Joe Ricketts, founder of TD Ameritrade.
Other billionaires who have donated more than $800,000 to Trump 47 include casino mogul Phil Ruffin, sugar and real estate magnate Jose Fanjul, Energy Transfer pipeline company CEO Kelcy Warren, real estate developer Geoffrey Palmer “who hates affordable housing,” former Renaissance Technologies CEO Robert Mercer, casino mogul Steve Wynn, and hedge fund billionaire John Paulson, whom Trump has floated as his potential Treasury Secretary if re-elected.