Republicans already panicked over 2022 election as donors close wallets after Capitol riot: report

On Saturday, the Associated Press reported that Senate Republicans are in panic mode as they cannot rely on many of their major campaign funding sources for the upcoming midterm election.

"Eight Republican senators voted to reject Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden, even after the ransacking of the Capitol by a mob of Donald Trump supporters who were exhorted by the president to stop Congress from certifying Biden's victory. Five people died in the mayhem, including a Capitol Police officer," reported Brian Slodysko. "Recriminations were swift, with more than a dozen corporate giants — including AT&T, Nike, Comcast, Dow, Marriott, Walmart and Verizon — pledging to withhold donations to Republican lawmakers who voted to reject the outcome of the election in Arizona or Pennsylvania."

Furthermore, noted the report, "One of those lawmakers, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, is the new chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a post that makes him the public face of the Senate Republican fundraising efforts."

But this is not the only problem.

"Adding to the worries, other pillars of GOP fundraising — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Rifle Association and groups tied to the Koch brothers — can no longer be counted on for robust financial support," said the report. "The NRA announced Friday that it had filed for bankruptcy after years of profligate spending and insider dealing by top leaders. The Chamber of Commerce, which angered some Republicans when it recently started donating to Democrats, announced this week that it will withhold contributions from some Republicans over their actions. And the Koch network, too, announced it will scrutinize whom it gives to following the insurrection, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal."

The 2022 midterms will be a major test of President-elect Biden's popularity and agenda, with both chambers of Congress up for grabs after what will likely be two years of unified Democratic control.