Republicans increasingly frustrated that 'selfish' Trump won't share campaign cash with other GOP candidates
Donald Trump is hoarding more than $110 million in campaign cash, and some Republicans are irritated that he won't share it with his party ahead of the midterm elections.
The former president continues to rake in email solicitations from the GOP's small donors and at VIP events tied to his rallies, but his "Save America" super PAC has contributed just $205,000 from his war chest to 41 federal candidates through the end of February -- and Republicans are growing frustrated, reported NBC News.
"It pisses me off," said GOP donor Dan Eberhart, who pointed out that Trump isn't even making contributions to the candidates he has endorsed. "It’s pretty selfish."
GOP campaign veterans and Trump insiders say they're disappointed but not surprised by what they called a combination of stinginess and selfishness, but one Trump campaign veteran told NBC there was no way the former president would "spend any money on these people in midterms" and would instead hold onto the money for himself.
"He does not share well when it comes to money," that person said.
Trump prefers instead with trying to pick winners in GOP primaries that would give him a pack of loyalists in Congress and state offices, but don't necessarily help the party take back governing majorities, but some of his endorsed candidates have struggled to raise money or gain much traction with voters.
"If there are seats left on the table because he is stockpiling hundreds of millions of dollars and not spending it to help candidates, then that will leave a bad taste in people's mouths," said one national GOP strategist. "No one is counting on him spending that money to help the party, but he's been helpful in other ways."
The former Trump campaign officials said the former president could make a difference in some races without spending too much of his own money.
"You identify the races where the Republicans can win and Trump polls well," he said. "There are districts where Trump can hurt the Republican candidate, there's no question about that. But there are more districts where he can help them, and so you’d be targeting those districts."
"I don’t think Trump’s team knows how to do it," the former campaign official added. "I don’t think Trump’s team cares much about doing it."
However, some Republicans are worried that Trump's constant solicitations -- often more than once per day -- have already bled small donors dry, making them less likely to contribute to other GOP candidates.
"That's a huge problem," said one GOP operative.
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