Emerging fundraising data suggests a worrying trend for former President Trump – his donors seem less willing to contribute as each new indictment surfaces.
Political campaigns are always concerned about donor exhaustion. Trump has previously been cautioned about his regular requests for funding from his supporters. His frequent appeals for monetary aid have reportedly hampered the fundraising efforts of Republicans competing in other races.
All told, Trump raised nearly $4 million via WinRed from nearly 80,000 distinct donors on April 4, the day he pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court on charges of falsification of business records related to payouts to porn star Stormy Daniels. It was his best online fundraising day of the year.
By contrast, when Trump appeared in Miami court on June 13 to plead not guilty to his second indictment on charges related to classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago, he raised only $1.3 million from just over 35,0000 donors, according to WinRed data.
Overall, roughly one-quarter of Trump’s total WinRed fundraising this calendar year — $11.3 million — came in between March 30 and April 5, according to a POLITICO analysis of the group’s FEC filing.
The shock and outrage sparked by the indictments seem to be fading. The potency of anger, indignation, and fear as political instruments has its boundaries. Overexposure to a single type of message or tone can lead even the most devoted supporters to become desensitized and disengage.
Trump’s super PAC is reportedly nearing bankruptcy due to covering his legal expenses. If his donors are indeed fatigued, Trump might lack the necessary funds to run a presidential campaign, even if he secures the Republican nomination.
The Republicans face a potentially disastrous choice: to either support Trump financially, protect their slim majority in the House, or invest in reclaiming the Senate.
If financial contributions continue to dwindle, the Republicans could find themselves in a precarious situation.