Kari Lake and Josh Mandel among GOP hopefuls going to Mar-a-Lago to raise money — and enrich Trump: report

Donald Trump is raking in big money from Republicans running in the 2022 midterm elections as he winters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

"Since Trump returned from his New Jersey club to Palm Beach, Fla., this fall, Mar-a-Lago has become a hotbed for Republican fundraisers, with candidates jockeying to line the former president’s pockets in hopes of winning his endorsement, get a photo with him or simply give donors a chance to be in his presence," The Washington Post reported Thursday. "The surge in business at his private club spotlights the unparalleled way in which Trump has personally profited from his presidency and his popularity in the GOP — a revenue stream that began during his time in the White House and has only strengthened since he left office. Rather than hosting fellow Republicans, Trump is charging them for the privilege of using his venues."

The list of candidates compiled by the newspaper includes Kari Lake, who is running for governor of Arizona on having the state pay to complete Trump's border wall, which he falsely claimed would be paid for by Mexico. Also on the list is former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is running an extremist campaign for U.S. Senate.

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"The Washington Post identified at least 30 events held by GOP candidates or conservative groups at Trump properties through mid-December, based on campaign finance records and social media posts. That’s more than The Post tallied in any previous year; in 2020, The Post counted 13 such fundraisers — most of them paid for by Trump’s own reelection campaign," the newspaper reported.

Missouri Reps. Billy Long and Jason T. Smith — who are facing off in a GOP Senate primary — were both on the list.

So was former NFL running back Hershel Walker, who is running for Senate in Georgia and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

"Trump’s properties have collected $463,000 in revenue from just nine of the 2021 gatherings that have been disclosed so far in federal campaign finance reports. That sum will grow substantially next month when federal political committees report their spending for the second half of the year," the newspaper noted.

Read the full report.