'It’s a disaster -- and it's getting worse': House GOP members in a frenzy over 2020 prospects as fundraising flounders

According to a report in Politico, GOP House members are angry with their own National Republican Congressional Committee, claiming it is doing a poor job of fundraising and is making horrible decisions that could impact the party in the run-up to the 2020 election.

The reports states that Chairman Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) was forced to attempt to calm the waters at private caucus meeting Wednesday and allay members' fears by saying the internal problems were being inflated by Democrats and the press.

“The plan and our strategy is working,” Emmer reportedly told members, adding, “The media and DCCC are going to try to separate us and turn us against each other because we’re winning.”

According to the report, members complained about poor fundraising as well as internal bickering over the type of 2020 campaign leaders of the NRCC want to run, with one member admitting that “Our communications team has a direct mandate from me and Leader [Kevin] McCarthy (R-CA) to be ruthless."

Noting that House GOP leaders felt the need to address the turmoil, Politico points out that outside Republican consultants -- as well as some House members -- said it is a real issue and mere words from the top can't cover up the problems.

“It’s a disaster what is going on across the street at NRCC,” argued an anonymous GOP lawmaker, “Their communication is bad. Some of the stuff is bizarrely overly aggressive. They’re not raising the money. They don’t have buy-in from members. And it’s getting worse.”

According to the report, the GOP has been lagging in setting up an operation like the Democrats' ActBlue which Democrats have used effectively to rake in a stunning amount of small donor dollars.

"The NRCC, in conjunction with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Republican National Committee, and Trump’s political team, announced back in January they would launch their own small-donor fundraising vehicle dubbed the 'Patriot Pass,' which has since been renamed 'Win Red,'" Politico reports.

Five months later, nothing has happened causing Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) to lament, "I would have hoped it would be launched by now. Because I do believe sooner is better than later. It’s a real concern by a lot of members… This needs to get done.”

"But nearly six months into the new election cycle, members have still not been briefed on the details of the operation or when it will be functional," the reports states. "Lawmakers also don’t know which incumbents or first-time candidates will have access to it, according to multiple GOP consultants. And several GOP fundraising firms have no plans to integrate with the Win Red database."

House members are also concerned about the vicious tone of press releases that attack Democrats coming from the NRCC, with Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) stating, "The president’s got his own unique style. I don’t think we need to mimic it."

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