President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he plans to spend more than $400 million to help Republican candidates win the November 3 midterm elections, as his party seeks to keep its hold on Congress.1,2,3,4
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that much of that total had already been spent on campaign outreach. “More than 300 Million Dollars has already been spent on Advertising, Direct and Indirect Voter Contact, Rallies, Rally Arenas, Telerallies, Get Out the Vote Programs, Election Integrity, and more,” Trump said.1,2,4
“It is my Great Honor to do so on behalf of the Republican Party, which has done so much to bring our Country back from the Edge of Oblivion,” Trump said. He called the November vote “the Most Important Midterm Elections in our Country’s History.” The president offered no detailed breakdown of the spending, including how much would reach individual races.1
The spending pledge comes as Republicans hold slim majorities in both chambers of Congress and Democrats seek to flip the Senate and the House. Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to record lows, and a Reuters and Ipsos poll this week found that 31 percent of Americans approved of his job performance. Some Republicans have sought to distance themselves from the president, while others have pushed for more support, particularly in close races with Democrats.1
Questions have focused on whether Trump and his allies would use the war chest of MAGA Inc, the super PAC named for his “Make America Great Again” movement. According to its latest federal filing, MAGA Inc entered September with $415.8m in cash reserves. The Campaign Legal Center, a campaign finance watchdog, accused Trump last month of violating rules requiring super PACs to remain independent of campaigns by claiming control over MAGA Inc’s expenditures. The group cited an exchange in the Oval Office on September 4, when Trump said he would spend “whatever amount of money necessary” and added: “This is money from MAGA Inc. This is my money that I control.”1
Other Trump-aligned groups have also increased their political advertising, including two newly formed organisations linked to MAGA Inc, the No Going Back PAC and the Safety and Affordability PAC. The advertisement tracker AdImpact found that the No Going Back PAC contributed $68.7m in political ads last month alone. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has spent $366m since last year on Republican campaigns and conservative groups, according to Al Jazeera and the Guardian.1,2
On the Democratic side, billionaire Michael Bloomberg will spend $80m to help Democratic candidates, US media reported on Tuesday, citing the New York Times. The Times reported that Bloomberg made the contributions in September and October and is focused on Democrats running to flip the House, which Republicans control by a historically small margin. Bloomberg’s political adviser Howard Wolfson told the Times: “The difference between 221 and 230, in terms of the House majority, really matters.” Among the donations are $24m to Everytown for Gun Safety and $16m to the House Majority PAC, which is connected to the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries.2
Wolfson said Bloomberg “is of the view that resources matter in campaigns” and “expects a result.” Democrats have acknowledged trailing Republicans in fundraising, and Democrats also believe they have a shot at the four seats needed to take control of the Senate, though analysts believe it could go either way.2
Trump has hit the campaign trail in the final weeks before the vote, with a 32-day campaign blitz whose upcoming stops include South Carolina and Iowa. Al Jazeera reported that if Democrats win control of Congress, they could stymie Trump’s legislative agenda for the final two years of his presidency.1