QAnon influencer struggling to raise campaign cash after bragging he would get 'at least a million dollars'
QAnon darling Ron Watkins is well into his first run for Congress in Arizona and after a very slow start he's having an even slower 2022.
In Nov. 2021, Watkins learned that his 50,000 Telegram followers haven't turned into campaign dollars. As Watkins kicks off 2022, Vice News explained that he's still lagging in fundraising.
"Mark my words: I am going to raise at least a million dollars and I'm going to win so that the people have a real voice in Washington, D.C.," Watkins said when he announced.
Thus far, he's raised a little over $30,000, which is $970,000 short of his goal in the race against Democratic opponent, Rep. Tom O'Halleran, who had raised $1.15 million as of Nov. 2021.
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O'Halleran has now raised $1.8 million with $435,000 in the final 2021 quarter.
"Watkins’ paltry fundraising efforts show how difficult it will be to translate his QAnon fame into votes," said Vice. "Add the lack of funds to an unorthodox campaigning approach conducted primarily on Telegram, the absence of a much sought-after Trump endorsement, and a campaign manager who 'sees UFOs wherever he goes,' and it’s clear that Watkins is facing an uphill climb to make any impact on the Congressional race in Arizona’s second district."
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