Former President Donald Trump’s name carries mountainous weight in the 2024 iteration of the Republican Party.
Republican candidates are well aware, and have used it to their advantage in the past to fundraise, though Trump’s campaign usually requests a piece of the proceeds if they allow candidates down the ballot to use it at all.
In the aftermath of Trump’s felony convictions in New York, his campaign told Republicans to avoid fundraising solely for themselves using the trial as fuel for donors.
“Any Republican elected official, candidate or party committee siphoning money from President Trump’s donors are no better than Judge Merchan’s daughter,” Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita said, referring to Loren Merchan, who Republicans have said has used the Trump trial to fundraise for Democrats.
LaCivita says the Trump campaign is not currently in a giving mood.
“We’re keeping a list, we’ll be checking it twice and we aren’t in the spirit of Christmas.”
At least one Republican candidate has attempted to fundraise without seemingly offering Trump anything in return. Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams, who is running in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, has sent a fundraising email mentioning the trial that links directly to his own campaign contributions form.
The Washington Examiner contacted the Trump and Williams campaigns but did not receive a response.
Trump’s campaign asked candidates in the past to split at least 5% of the proceeds from fundraising that uses Trump’s name, image, or likeness, with splits higher than 5% “seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump’s campaign.”
They also asked for those using Trump in fundraising emails to avoid certain “language and tactics” such as speaking on behalf of Trump.
“Any vendor whose clients ignore the guidelines mentioned above will be held responsible for
their clients’ actions,” Trump campaign officials Susie Wiles and LaCivita said. “Repeated violations will result in the suspension of business relationships between the vendor
and Trump National Committee JFC. This includes list rental agreements.”
Before that, the campaign sent an email to the GOP’s House fundraising arm warning them to avoid using consulting firms to fundraise off Trump without his consent. As a consequence for candidates who continued to do so, Trump’s campaign said it would be “highly unlikely” for the former president to endorse them.
LaCivita and Wiles had strong warnings for candidates who use firms that don’t get consent from the campaign to fundraise off Trump.
“President Trump has built the most powerful, successful brand in the history of American politics — at great personal expense and toll to him and his family,” they wrote last year. “When you deceive the President’s donors and usurp his brand for your own profit, you drain him of the financial resources his campaign needs to defeat Joe Biden and Make America Great Again.”
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Trump’s fundraising soared after his trial’s verdict, with a key Republican fundraising website crashing in the aftermath.
President Joe Biden has generally led Trump in the race for campaign cash. However, Trump beat him in the month of April. No data have been released for May yet, but Trump reported raising more than $34 million since the guilty verdict was handed down.