Republican donors are starting to get a bit worried at the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency, as the checks have been flying in for a super PAC — the Congressional Leadership Fund — aligned with House Speaker Paul Ryan. CNN reported donors are opening their checkbooks because they are worried Trump winning the election could cause a fracture in the party and could lead to Republicans losing control of the House of Representatives.
This Trump-fueled fear is causing record-breaking donations, as CNN reported donors had doubled their spending efforts from the 2014 midterms, with $20.7 million being collected during the 2016 cycle. This total also includes a $10.7 million haul from this month, which will go to ad buys for a dozen House races. Still, the CLF has been lagging behind its Democratic counterpart — the House Majority PAC — regarding funding. During the 2014 midterm elections, the House Majority PAC raised $38 million, while the CLF brought in $11.6 million. CNN reported the House Majority PAC raised $20 million earlier this year, so the CLF is trying to keep up.
The latest rash of donations suggests Republicans going into preservation mode, as several GOP sources told CNN how donating to Ryan’s reelection can help unite what has seemed to become a fractured party. Some other Republicans are feeling this sentiment, as BuzzFeed reports that GOP members are privately panicking over a possible Trump success. Many assumed Clinton was going to walk away with it, but some of her recent omissions are giving Trump a bump in the polls. One anonymous GOP consultant told BuzzFeed that Trump’s sudden win-probability jump is scary:
“It’s terrifying…He’s not qualified, and it’s a massive problem. I’m not a fan of Hillary Clinton, but at least I feel like some of those jobs that are required for president, she could do them.”
When some Republicans are endorsing Clinton, you know we are in a bizarro election. We are just two months away from the election, so we may be in store for more situations like this.
