Many experienced GOP strategists unwilling to work for Donald Trump
Donald Trump has finally acknowledged that to best compete against Hillary Clinton he needs more than the bare-bones campaign team that led him to primary success. But many of the most experienced Republican political advisers aren’t willing to work for him. From Texas to New Hampshire, well-respected members of the Republican Party’s professional class say they cannot look past their deep personal and professional reservations about the presumptive presidential nominee. While there are exceptions, many strategists who best understand the mechanics of presidential politics fear that taking a Trump paycheck might stain their resumes, spook other clients and even cause problems at home. They also are reluctant to devote months to a divisive candidate whose campaign has been plagued by infighting and disorganization. “Right now I feel no obligation to lift a finger to help Donald Trump,” said Brent Swander, an Ohio-based operative who has coordinated nationwide logistics for Republican presidential campaigns dating to George W. Bush. “Everything that we’re taught as children — not to bully, not to demean, to treat others with respect — everything we’re taught as children is the exact opposite of what the Republican nominee is doing. How do you work for somebody like that? What would I tell my family?” Swander said. Trump leapt into presidential politics with a small group of aides, some drafted directly from his real estate business, with no experience running a White House campaign. An unquestioned success in the GOP primaries, they have struggled to respond to the increased demands of a general election. As in years past, the primary season created a pool of battle-tested staffers who worked for other candidates, from which Trump would be expected to draw. But hundreds of such aides have so far declined invitations to work for him. They include several communications aides to Chris Christie, as well as the New Jersey governor’s senior political adviser, Michael DuHaime, who has rejected direct and indirect inquiries to sign on with the billionaire. Chris Wilson, a senior aide to Ted Cruz, said the Texas senator’s entire paid staff of more than 150 ignored encouragement from Trump’s team to apply for positions after Cruz quit the presidential race. Wilson said that even now, many unemployed Cruz aides are refusing to work for the man who called their former boss “Lyin’ Ted.” That’s the case for Scott Smith, a Texas-based operative who traveled the country planning events for Cruz, and earlier worked on presidential bids for Bush and Texas Gov. Rick Perry. “It’s very clear that none of us are going to work for Trump,” Smith said. “Even if I wanted to work for Trump, my wife would kill me.” Smith, like many experienced strategists interviewed for this story, noted the intense personal sacrifice required of presidential campaigns. Many advisers do not see their families for long stretches, work brutal hours on little sleep and enjoy no job security. With Trump, Smith said, “I would feel like a mercenary. I can’t be away from my young children if it’s just for money.” Trump’s need for additional staff is acute. His paltry fundraising network brought in less than $2 million last month. He has just one paid staffer to handle hundreds of daily media requests and only a few operatives in battleground states devoted to his White House bid. Last month, Trump fired Rick Wiley, who was the campaign manager for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a former 2016 candidate, and was brought on to run Trump’s nationwide get-out-the-vote effort. On Monday, Trump fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who acknowledged he lacked the experience needed to expand Trump’s operation. “This campaign needs to grow rapidly,” Lewandowski told the Fox News Channel. “That’s a hard job and candidly I’ve never grown something that big.” Trump credited Lewandowski with helping “a small, beautiful, well-unified campaign” during the primary season. “I think it’s time now for a different kind of a campaign,” Trump told Fox. Campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the campaign’s hiring. A former adviser, Barry Bennett, played down any staffing challenges, suggesting the campaign should be able to double its contingent by the party’s national convention next month. Trump announced four new hires in the past week, including a human resources chief to help with hiring, to supplement a staff of about 70. That’s compared with Clinton’s paid presence of roughly 700, many of them well-versed in modern political strategy. Trump’s senior team, including campaign chief Paul Manafort and newly hired political director Jim Murphy, largely represent an older generation of political hands more active in the 1980s and 1990s. The campaign’s new Ohio director, Bob Paduchik, led state efforts for Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns. A new generation of top talent active in more recent years has shown little interest in Trump. In Iowa, experienced operative Sara Craig says she will not work for Trump or even support him. “I am more interested in working on down-ballot races,” said Craig, who helped elect Joni Ernst to the Senate from Iowa and directed a pro-Bush super political action committee. Ryan Williams, who worked on Mitt Romney‘s presidential campaigns, said he’s happy working for a consulting firm, where he’s involved with various other elections across the country, as well as with corporate clients. “When you sign up for a campaign, you’re putting your name on the effort. Some of the things that Trump has said publicly are very hard for people to get behind,” Williams said. But Paduchik offered the kind of positive perspective expected of a campaign on the move. “It’s been great, the response I’ve gotten,” Paduchik said. “Republicans in every corner of Ohio are excited about Mr. Trump’s campaign.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Darryl Paulson: It’s now or never for #NeverTrump
The opposition to Donald Trump has been constant from the start of the 2016 presidential campaign. However, it has been unfocused and essentially leaderless. Many Trump opponents believed he would not enter the race. When he entered, they believed he had no chance of winning. Now that Trump has won the nomination, they believe he can be stopped by an independent or third party campaign. As early as December 2015, before the first caucus or primary, Mike Fernandez, a Coral Gables, Florida health care executive and financial backer of Jeb Bush, took out full-page ads in the Miami Herald and other newspapers stating that he would support Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. Fernandez described Trump as a narcissistic ”Bullyionaire” with a hunger to be adored. Fernandez was critical of fellow Republicans “blinded by the demagoguery” of Trump. In January 2016, National Review devoted an issue to conservative writers who made the case that Trump was not a conservative, and his nomination would do long-term damage to conservatism and the Republican Party. The issue contributed to the formation of the #NeverTrump movement, but it failed to stop Trump from winning the GOP nomination. With Trump having secured the nomination, many Republicans now look at the race as a binary choice: Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Most Republicans, unlike Mike Fernandez, see Trump as the preferred option. Foster Friess, a Wyoming financier and supporter of Republican candidates and causes, said Trump was not his first choice, but “he’s better than Hillary.” During the presidential primaries, even Jeb Bush stated that “Anybody is better than Hilary.” Some of Trump’s strongest critics have now jumped aboard the bandwagon. Texas Governor Rick Perry, who called Trump a “cancer” on the GOP who would lead the party to “Perdition,” has now offered to help Trump win the election. Oh, by the way, he would also be interested in being Trump’s Vice President. Many Republicans believe it is now a question of party loyalty. As Republican strategist Ford O’Connell observes, “political parties are not meant to be ideological vessels, but competing enterprises whose job is to win elections.” Rick Wilson, one of the most vehement anti-Trumpers, described the party loyalty argument as nothing more than “the DC establishment rolling over and becoming the Vichy Republicans we all know they would.” The last hope of the #NeverTrump movement is recruiting an independent or third-party candidate to provide an alternative to Trump and Clinton. RNC Chair Reince Priebus calls such efforts a “suicide mission.” Supporters argue that an independent candidate would not only give discontented voters a choice, but they believe such a candidate could win. At the very least, such a candidate could siphon off enough electoral votes to throw the election into the House, where the Republican majority could select someone other than Trump or Clinton. Supporters of an independent option argue that recent polls show 58 percent of voters are not happy with their choices, and 55 percent say they support an independent candidate. Historically, the idea of an independent candidate is more appealing than the reality. Teddy Roosevelt and his Bull Moose Party is widely regarded the most effective third-party movement. Roosevelt actually came in second and swamped incumbent Republican President William Howard Taft. Roosevelt received 27.4 percent of the vote and 88 electoral votes to only 23.2 percent and 8 electoral votes for Taft. In 1948, Governor Strom Thurmond of South Carolina won only 2.4 percent of the national vote but, because it was concentrated in a few Deep South states where Truman’s name did not appear on the ballot, Thurmond captured the electoral votes of four states. Twenty years later, Governor George Wallace replicated much of Thurmond’s success in winning 13.5 percent of the vote and 46 electoral votes in five southern states. In 1992, Texas businessman Ross Perot and his Reform Party won almost one out of five votes, but failed to capture a single state. At one point, Perot led both George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton but, as Election Day approached, many of his supporters returned to support their traditional party. To run as an independent or third-party candidate, there is one important requirement: you need a candidate. So far, the #NeverTrump movement has not found a willing person to oppose Trump. Among the possible candidates are Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee. Romney has name recognition and money, and would likely qualify for the debates. Romney was opposed by many conservatives in his 2012 race which would once again be a problem. In addition, Romney’s enthusiastic acceptance of Trump’s endorsement in that campaign would be another concern. Marine Corps General James Mattis seriously considered running before backing out. Mattis would have commanded support as a military figure and a political outsider. But, Mattis is not an Eisenhower and is an unknown commodity. Marco Rubio‘s name is being tossed about as a possible candidate. Rubio is young, charismatic and has appealed to woman and minority voters. The downside is that Rubio won only in Puerto Rico, Minnesota and the District of Columbia, and badly lost his home state of Florida to Trump. In addition, Rubio signed the pledge to support the Republican nominee “and I intend to keep it.” Ben Sasse, a first-term Republican Senator from Nebraska, has been a leader in the #NeverTrump movement. Sasse is only in his second year as a senator, which will raise questions about his experience. He also is unknown outside of Nebraska. Finally, former House member and Senator Tom Colburn has expressed interest in running and is highly respected by conservatives for his attempts to cut federal spending. Colburn has stated that Trump “needs to be stopped,” but recently said he would not be the candidate. One of the maxims of politics is that it takes something to beat nothing. So far, nothing looks like he has the race all wrapped up. ___ Darryl Paulson is Professor Emeritus of Government at USF St. Petersburg.
Darryl Paulson: Donald Trump goes a-courting
On May 18, 2016, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump released a list of 11 judges that he would “most likely” use to select his appointees to the Supreme Court. The list of 11 names included 11 whites and eight males. Six of the 11 were appointees of George W. Bush, and the other five are currently serving on their states’ supreme court. The average age of the potential nominees is 50, compared to the average age of 68.75 on the current court. The youngest nominee is David Stras of the Minnesota Supreme Court. Stras, if nominated, would be the youngest candidate put forward for the court since the FDR administration. The response to Trump’s list of potential nominees was as expected. On the political left, Nan Aron of the Alliance for Justice Action Campaign, said the nominees “reflect a radical-right ideology that threatens fundamental rights.” Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, called the list “a woman’s nightmare,” and said the judges would overturn Roe vs. Wade. Conservative attorney John Woo praised Trump for starting to unify the party. “Everyone on the list,” noted Woo, “is an outstanding legal scholar.” Woo called the selections a Federal Society all-star list of conservative jurisprudence.” Carrie Severino of the Judicial Crisis Network, said the nominees have “a record of putting the law and Constitution ahead of their political preferences.” The Trump campaign said the list was “compiled, first and foremost, based on constitutional principles, with input from highly respected conservatives and Republican Party leadership.” The following is a quick summary of Trump’s potential nominees to the Supreme Court: Stephen Colloton: Member of the Court of Appeals 8th Circuit since 2003. Clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Allison Eid: Colorado Supreme Court justice since her 2006 appointment by Republican Governor Bill Owens. Clerked for Clarence Thomas. Raymond Gruender: Appointed to Court of Appeals for 8th Circuit by George W. Bush in 2004. On the Heritage Foundation list of possible conservative appointees to the Supreme Court. Thomas Hardiman: On the Court of Appeals for 3rd Circuit since 2007. Appointed by George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed. Clerked for Antonin Scalia. Raymond Kethledge: On the Court of Appeals for 6th Circuit since appointed by George W. Bush in 2008. Clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy. Joan Larson: Appointed to Michigan Supreme Court in 2015 by Republican Governor Rick Snyder. Clerked for Scalia. Thomas Lee: Associate Justice on Utah Supreme Court since 2010. Brother of Utah U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, a Trump critic, and backer of Ted Cruz. William Pryor: On Circuit Court of Appeals for 11th Circuit since 2004. On Heritage Foundation list of conservative appointees to the Supreme Court. David Stras: On the Minnesota Supreme Court since 2010. Appointed by Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty. Clerked for Clarence Thomas. Diane Sykes: On Circuit Court of Appeals for 7th Circuit since 2004. Previously on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Ex-wife of conservative radio host Charlie Sykes, who was an outspoken critic of Trump during the campaign. Don Willett: Appointed to Texas Supreme Court by Republican Governor Rick Perry in 2005. Willett was a frequent Twitter critic of Trump during the campaign. Among his Tweets: Can’t wait till Trump rips his face Mission Impossible-style & reveals a laughing Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Aug. 27, 2015). Low-energy Trump University has never made it to #MarchMadness. Or even the #NIT. Sad! (March 15, 2016). We’ll rebuild the Death Star. It’ll be amazing, believe me. And the rebels will pay for it (April 8, 2016). Whenever lists are announced, there is an interest in both who is on the list and who has been left off. Missing from Trump’s list of possible court nominees are Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the DC Circuit Court and former Bush Administration Solicitor General Paul Clement. Both Kavanaugh and Clement appear on most lists of conservative court nominees. It is unusual to put out such a list before assuming office. Why would Trump put out such a lengthy list at this time? First, it is an attempt to solidify support among the Republican base, in particular among those who are skeptical of Trump’s conservative credentials. Second, Trump may be trying to show he is open-minded by selecting several individuals who clearly were not Trump supporters during the campaign. Finally, several of Trump’s nominees come from battleground states such as Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan and Texas that Trump needs to win if he hopes to get elected. Although many conservatives and Republicans were pleasantly surprised by the names on Trump’s list, some are still skeptical. Conservative writer Charles Krauthammer noted that Trump said that nominations “would most likely be from the list.” “Most likely” leaves too much wiggle room for many of Trump’s critics, who note he has flip-flopped on many issues during the campaign and, sometimes, on the same day. ___ Darryl Paulson is professor emeritus of government at USF St. Petersburg.
Donald Trump says he’s narrowed potential VPs to 5 or 6 experienced politicians, has not ruled out Chris Christie
Donald Trump, the Republicans’ presumptive presidential nominee, says he’s narrowed his list of potential running mates to “five or six people,” all with deep political resumes. He says he has not ruled out New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a former rival who has embraced the billionaire’s campaign with gusto. “I have a list of people that I would like,” Trump said Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press. The real estate mogul and former reality television star said he’s giving special weight to political experience because he wants a vice president who can help him “with legislation, getting things through” Washington if he wins the White House. “We don’t need another business person,” said Trump, who touts himself as one of the best in that category. He also said choosing a person who’s previously held elected office would help with the process of looking into the person’s background, in part because that person already would have been checked out by voters, the news media and to some extent the government. “For the most part, they’ve been vetted over the last 20 years,” he said. If he selects a military or business person, he said, “the vetting is a whole different story. Whereas the politicians are, generally speaking, pretty well vetted.” Trump would not reveal the full list of possible running mates, but said his decision this week to appoint Christie to head his White House transition team did not mean the New Jersey governor was out of consideration. “No, not at all,” he said. Trump’s vice presidential pick could be crucial to easing the concerns of Republicans who worry about their presumptive nominee’s lack of political experience, as well as his temperament to serve as commander in chief. Tapping a political insider would also be a way for Trump to signal a willingness to work with the party establishment he has thoroughly bashed throughout the primary. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer are among the Republicans who have suggested they would be open to joining Trump on the GOP ticket. Others, including Trump’s former primary rival Marco Rubio, have ruled out being considered. “I have never sought, will not seek and do not want to be considered for vice president,” the Florida senator wrote in a Facebook post Monday. Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, has been chosen to run the vetting effort “with a group” that includes former rival Ben Carson and Trump himself, he said. “Honestly, we’re all running it. It’s very much a group effort,” said Trump, adding that he’s in no rush to announce his pick. “I do think I don’t want to make a decision until the actual convention. Not even before it. I mean until it,” he said. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
No whining: Chris Christie shrugs off boot from debate main stage
Chris Christie just can’t catch a break. In the middle of what had been shaping up to be among the best weeks of his campaign for president, the Republican governor of New Jersey was kicked to the “kiddie table” when Fox Business Network said he didn’t have the poll numbers needed to qualify for Tuesday’s prime-time debate. The relegation to the undercard is the latest blow for Christie, who has struggled to emerge in a packed field led by political newcomers — most notably billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump, who has effectively stolen Christie’s tell-it-like-it-is calling card. “Did I want to throw something at the television? Yes,” said Bobbie Kilberg, one of Christie’s most loyal financial backers. But Kilberg was among the many Christie supporters who — familiar with political setbacks — said the decision would only increase their resolve and spur them to work harder to bring in the cash needed to keep Christie’s campaign going. The demotion came as Christie, whose very early front-runner status was crushed by a scandal involving aides creating traffic jams on a bridge into Manhattan, appeared on the cusp of a breakthrough thanks to a video published by The Huffington Post that shows him talking about the pain of losing a friend to drug addiction. While Christie has told the story dozens of times at town hall events, the video went viral and had been viewed more than 7.6 million times as of Sunday evening. The response to the video underscores Christie’s raw political talent: he undoubtedly has the ability to connect with an audience in ways many of his rivals cannot. After weeks of focus on New Hampshire, his standing in some preference polls there has improved recently. Christie has also seen substantial gains in his favorability ratings, both nationally as well as in Iowa, where his team is hoping a stronger-than-expected showing will position him to win New Hampshire. Meanwhile, Christie has tried to play down the impact of getting booted from the main stage of the fourth GOP primary debate. Monday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Christie tried to put a positive spin on the downgrade, saying, “I’ll be on a stage where I’m going to get a lot more time to talk.” And he said the true winnowing of the field will take place later, in Iowa and New Hampshire. “We’re Not Whiners, Or Moaners, Or Complainers In The Christie Campaign,” read the subject line of one email blast from his campaign. Speaking Friday in New Hampshire, where he filed to appear on the state’s primary ballot, Christie said what matters is his message. “I’ve never had difficulty making an impression. I’ll make an impression on Tuesday night, too, just like I have in the first three debates,” he said. “We are fine,” echoed Christie senior adviser Mike DuHaime in an email. “We don’t make the rules, just play by them. Our supporters and donors know that Gov. Christie has overcome a lot more than being switched to a different stage.” Some Christie supporters have gone further and tried to put a positive spin on his debate downgrade, arguing that appearing on the less crowded stage will give the governor more opportunity to make his case to viewers. “He’ll get a lot more time. He’ll get a lot more attention,” said Jim McConaha, a Republican from Concord, New Hampshire, who came to watch Christie file his paperwork. “It’s better than standing at the end of the row, leaning on the podium waiting for your opportunity to say something.” Kilberg said the downgrade was sparking new commitments from previously on-the-fence donors angry at Christie’s treatment. “People are calling me and saying, ‘this is ridiculous,’ ” she said. “People are even more energized.” Yet the decision still has the potential to set back Christie. Many believe he missed his chance to be president four years ago when he declined to run, saying he wasn’t ready for the White House. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry saw his fundraising essentially disappear after he was relegated to an undercard debate earlier in the year. He left the race soon after. Iowa-based Jamie Johnson, who served as senior director to the Perry campaign and is not affiliated with any candidate now, said Christie still has a chance to build on the momentum that Johnson says he’s seeing in the state. “If there was ever a candidate who was a fighter and could find a way to bounce back after being demoted to the secondary debate forum,” he said, “it’s Chris Christie.” Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Ted Cruz adds billionaire backer to presidential campaign
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz has picked up the backing of a Texas billionaire and the state’s lieutenant governor, his campaign said Monday. Darwin Deason, a technology entrepreneur, and his son, Doug, had given millions of dollars to the 2016 efforts of former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who ended his bid for the White House last month. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — a one-time foe of the Texas senator — also will now be the Texas chairman of Cruz’s presidential campaign. Cruz is one of several Republican presidential candidates with Texas ties, but he has dominated the state’s generous donor class. In the first nine months of the year, Cruz raised more than three times as much in the state as did Jeb Bush, according to an Associated Press analysis of donations. Bush, a former Florida governor, spent much of his youth in Texas, and his father and brother, both former presidents, still call the state home. The Bush family is rallying around Jeb Bush on Monday at a donor event that’s taking place less than six miles from where Cruz is announcing his team’s additions. Patrick’s backing of Cruz gives him a powerful surrogate in a delegate-rich state where Republican primary voters go to the polls on March 1. And adding the Deasons to his financial team could significantly boost Cruz’s presidential campaign accounts. Darwin Deason poured $5 million into pro-Perry super PACs this year— making him one of the biggest contributors in presidential politics. After Perry’s withdrawal from the race, the super PACs returned much of that money. Cruz also has super PACs working on his behalf. Those groups can take unlimited amounts of money from donors, while the campaigns themselves cannot accept contribution checks from each donor of more than $2,700 per election. When super PACs are factored into the mix, Cruz’s fundraising is second only to Bush’s in the GOP field. Together, the pro-Cruz groups had raised at least $64 million by the end of September, fundraising documents show. Bush and Cruz have both shown they can land big contribution checks. But Cruz holds a sharp fundraising advantage over Bush when it comes to small donors. While only about 4 percent of Bush’s campaign haul has come from contributors giving $200 or less, 41 percent of Cruz’s campaign money is coming from such small donors, fundraising records show. Those kinds of givers are especially valuable because they can provide a constant stream of cash without taking up the candidate’s time attending traditional fundraising events. The Deasons are marquee names for Cruz, but he has quietly consolidated the support of many former donors to Perry and another 2016 dropout, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. The Cruz campaign added five other former Perry backers to its finance team, officials said on Monday. Cruz gained a larger share of those candidates’ donors than anyone else in the race, according to an analysis by crowdpac.com, a nonpartisan political analytics company. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Jeb Bush, Ben Carson lead GOP presidential fundraising
Jeb Bush raised $13.4 million this past summer for his Republican presidential bid — more than almost any other primary competitor, but far less than political newcomer Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who collected about $20 million during the same period. Meanwhile, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bernie Sanders, the two leading Democrats in the 2016 race, each raised more than any of the Republicans who have said what donors gave them between July 1 and Sept. 30. Among those who have yet to share their fundraising information is GOP front-runner Donald Trump, the rich real-estate dealmaker whose mild forays into fundraising include selling his trademark “Make America Great Again” hats. “I thought I’d have spent about $20, $25 million dollars up until this point. You know what I’ve spent? Like nothing,” Trump said Wednesday, crediting media coverage for negating the need to spend on paid ads. With fundraising reports due to federal regulators by midnight Thursday, here’s a look at what we know so far about the state of presidential campaign finance in the third quarter, and what we expect to learn when the candidates’ official reports are filed with the Federal Election Commission. ___ CLINTON, SANDERS RAISE ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT — IN DIFFERENT WAYS Clinton’s campaign said it raised $28 million in the three months ending Sept. 30. That’s less than what she raised in the early months of her campaign, but more than any previous non-incumbent Democratic presidential primary contestant in the third quarter of the year before Election Day. Most of the money came in through dozens of traditional fundraising events, where the price of entry was often the legal maximum donation of $2,700. Sanders brought in about $26 million, but did so largely through small contributions collected online. He continues to show off his fundraising prowess, harvesting about $2 million in new contributions in the hours that followed Tuesday night’s Democratic debate. “We are doing it the old-fashioned way: 650,000 individual contributions,” Sanders said in his closing statement of that appearance, adding: “We are averaging 30 bucks apiece. We would appreciate your help.” ___ CARSON THE EARLY LEADER IN GOP CONTEST Lots of Republican voters sent a message this summer in preference polls that they want an outsider as their nominee. That’s reflected in how they’re giving to the candidates, too. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson appears likely to post the best haul of the dozen-plus candidates in the GOP field, with about $20 million. But his campaign also spent heavily, burning through $14 million over the same time period. Carson spent most of that money raising money, according to figures the campaign provided to The Associated Press. Still, Carson had about $11 million in available cash as of Sept. 30. One of Carson’s closest fundraising competitors is Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, whose campaign raised $12.2 million in the third quarter and ended the month with $13.5 million in the bank. Although he has been a senator since 2012, he also is running as an outsider, with a focus on the many times he has broken with Senate Republican leadership over issues such as shutting down the government to defund implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Former technology executive Carly Fiorina, who has never held elected office, raised $6.8 million for her campaign — four times as much as she collected at the start of her campaign. Her boost came after strong debate performances that also led to a rise in some national preference polls. ___ LOWER FIGURES FOR OTHERS IN GOP Others in the Republican race found the summer months a tough slog for fundraising. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul raised $2.5 million and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio about $6 million. Paul recently devoted time to a separate bid to keep his Senate seat, leading some to question if he’s still in the White House race. “I wouldn’t be doing this dumb-ass livestreaming if I weren’t,” Paul said in a recent Internet video. “So, yes, I still am running for president. So get over it.” In a memo to supporters on Thursday, the Paul campaign continued to provide assurance that it is “here to stay.” The candidate raised almost $1 million in the 12 days after the September debate, the memo says. Rubio’s campaign argues that it can make its money go the distance because of its extreme frugality. The campaign told top donors that it began October with $11 million socked away. As evidence of its tight ship, Rubio’s campaign manager Terry Sullivan has said he must personally approve all expenses over $500. But Rubio is also getting a boost from a nonprofit group that doesn’t disclose its donors. While the campaign hasn’t purchased any television commercials, the group Conservative Solutions Project has already spent millions of dollars on ads. Weighing on these lower-raising candidates are the fates of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Both dropped out of the 2016 Republican nominating contest for lack of funds. Federal reports filed Thursday show Perry raised less than $300,000 between July 1 and Sept. 11, when he ended his campaign. It had about $45,000 left in the bank at the end of last month, FEC documents show. And Walker, despite having raised $7.4 million in the summer months, quickly burned through the money and dropped out 10 days after Perry. He closed September with less than $1 million in available cash — not enough to cover the nearly 100 employees on his payroll. ___ HOTLY ANTICIPATED REPORTS New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich both entered the Republican entered the race later than the other candidates, meaning Thursday provides the first look at their fundraising. Ahead of Thursday’s filing, Christie’s spokeswoman said the campaign had raised $4.2 million in recent months and had $1.4 million cash on hand at the end of September. Although the haul puts him in the lower tier of Republican fundraisers, Christie played down the importance of money. “We’re doing fine,” Christie recently said
‘Lean and mean’ campaigns enable GOP candidates to endure
As Scott Walker gave up on his 2016 presidential race this week, he implored other Republicans in the crowded field to follow his lead and drop out – so that one could rise to challenge front-runner Donald Trump. None appears likely to do so anytime soon. Walker stood out in the GOP race with his unsustainable mix of lackluster fundraising and an expensive campaign operation. Few if any of the 15 remaining candidates feel the intense financial pressures that he did, according to a review of fundraising records and interviews with campaign staff. “We certainly don’t have a massive campaign mousetrap that we can’t pay for,” said Curt Anderson, a senior strategist for Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a presidential hopeful who, as was Walker, is at the bottom of early preference polls. “Maybe other campaigns have gotten a bit out over their skis, but no one quite like he had.” In the 70 days between Walker’s kickoff and his exit from the race, the Wisconsin governor built the kind of campaign operation that more closely resembled that of a party nominee, with nearly 100 employees. Former aides and top donors said Walker’s team crafted a pricey plan to introduce him nationwide, but struggled to raise the millions of dollars needed to pay for the strategy. “People don’t stop running for president because they run out of ideas or they run out of a desire to give speeches,” said Terry Sullivan, Marco Rubio‘s campaign manager, at a panel discussion Monday in Washington. “They stop running because they run out of money.” Walker didn’t even last long enough to file his first formal campaign finance report. The next reports are due in mid-October, and it’s then that Rubio, Jindal and others in the race will have to disclose how their fundraising – and campaign spending – is shaping up. Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, was known for expensive tastes while serving as a U.S. attorney and chairman of the Republican Governors Association, preferring chartered planes and luxury hotels for his past politicking. But without an influx of big campaign money and little movement in early polls, his aides say, he’s been thrifty in his three months as a presidential candidate. He generally flies commercial and has traded resorts and high-end meals for Radissons and Mexican food joints. In a fundraising pitch emailed on Wednesday, Matt Mowers, Christie’s New Hampshire director, wrote that $22 lets him invite 50 people to town halls. “Any amount helps,” he wrote. “As we keep this team `lean and mean’ we use this contribution wisely.” While Rubio’s campaign took in about $9.8 million through the end of June, far more than most of the other candidates, his operation is eager to emphasize thriftiness. Sullivan said at a Monday gathering of campaign managers that he personally must approve any expense over $500. He said Rubio almost always flies commercial – even ultra-cheap airlines on occasion. One reason the candidates seem anxious to portray themselves as penny pinchers: Not much money is coming in. The usual summertime fundraising slowdown was exacerbated this year by the dominance of Trump, the billionaire celebrity and real estate mogul who is mostly paying for his own campaign. Many reliable Republican donors are sitting on their wallets until, as Walker advocated, the contest narrows to fewer candidates. And as the departures of Walker and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry show, super PACs and their ability to raise unlimited amounts from wealthy donors can be only so helpful, because those groups are barred from taking directions from the candidate they’re helping. That means super PACs can’t legally pay for the basic expenses of running for president, such as candidate travel and official campaign employees. Most of the underdogs have been eager to portray themselves as scrappy all along. Those who, like Walker, have low-digit support in most recent national surveys have only a handful of employees and are focused on a single state, such as first-to-vote Iowa. That group includes Jindal, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, former New York Gov. George Pataki and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. “This is the survivor portion of the campaign,” said Matt Beynon, a Santorum spokesman. “You have to build an organization for the resources that you really have, not for the resources you expect or want to have.” Santorum is taking a page from his own playbook. He raised just $920,427 by the time Iowa voters caucused in January 2012. But his strategy of driving himself around in a pickup truck to each of the state’s 99 counties worked: He narrowly won. This time, he raised a little over $650,000 in his first month as a candidate. “Santorum,” Beynon said, “is a master at running underfunded campaigns.” Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Ranks thinning, traditional GOP candidates try to adapt
Scott Walker and Rick Perry entered the 2016 presidential race with a combined 18 years of experience as governors. They exited the Republican primary — the first candidates to do so — with negligible support and dwindling bank accounts. While Walker and Perry were both flawed candidates, their swift demise is a warning to others who hope to win the White House on the strength of their political resumes. And it leaves the governors and senators still in the turbulent Republican race scrambling to adapt to a political environment that is rewarding those with the least governing experience. “The country is very unhappy now, and a winning candidate must be viewed as a change agent,” said Scott Reed, a longtime Republican strategist who advises the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. So far, billionaire Donald Trump has been the biggest beneficiary of the public’s demand for an outsider. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina are also attracting voters eager to express their anger with Washington. None of the three has ever won an election. Republicans voters’ apparent desire for a political novice is striking given that conservatives have long attributed some of what they see as President Barack Obama‘s weaknesses to his inexperience when he took office. Obama spent a little less than eight years as an Illinois state senator and ran for president during his first term in the U.S. Senate. As traditional candidates among the current GOP contenders try to break through, they’re employing a two-track strategy: distance themselves from Washington’s political elite while also building a campaign that can outlast voters’ discontent if the anti-establishment mood ultimately fades. In the hours after Walker’s stunning withdrawal Monday, his experienced rivals intensified efforts to pitch themselves as Washington outsiders and political disruptors. “You cannot say that Scott Walker, Rick Perry or myself were insiders in Washington,” said Jeb Bush, the former two-term Florida governor who is also the son and brother of presidents. Advisers for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a second-term governor and long-serving congressman, touted his efforts to challenge the status quo and even his own party. Kasich has pushed the GOP to do more to address poverty, mental illness and drug addiction, and he created an alternative to party leaders’ spending plans while serving in Congress. “You can either say you’re a change agent and have nothing to show for it but talk, or you can say you’re a change agent and have proof and results that have worked,” Kasich spokesman Scott Milburn said. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul casts himself as “a new kind of Republican,” one who courts younger voters and minorities. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has infuriated GOP leaders during his two-and-a-half years in Congress. And Florida Sen. Marco Rubio jumped at the opportunity to distance himself from Congress during last week’s Republican debate. “In my years in the Senate, I’ve figured out very quickly that the political establishment in Washington, D.C., in both political parties is completely out of touch with the lives of our people,” Rubio said. “That’s why I’m missing votes. Because I am leaving the Senate.” The success of anti-establishment candidates isn’t lost on Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton. On Sunday, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state tried to pitch herself as an outsider, too. “I cannot imagine anyone being more of an outsider than the first woman president,” Clinton said in an interview with CBS’ “Face The Nation.” Walker’s campaign, however, serves as a cautionary tale for experienced candidates trying to earn outsider bona fides. As Walker grappled for ways to save his candidacy, he denied he was a career politician — despite having been in elected office for 22 years. Advisers to several GOP campaigns say they expect voters to ultimately gravitate toward experienced candidates as next year’s early primaries and caucuses draw near. Unlike Walker and Perry, who struggled to build sustainable campaigns, some of the more traditional candidates are banking on building organizations that will still be standing if the electorate’s mood does indeed shift. For Bush, that means having money — and lots of it. The former Florida governor raised $120 million for his super PAC and campaign in the first half of the year, vastly more than any of his rivals. Bush’s financial stability has already allowed him to pour $24 million into television advertising in early voting states. Rubio’s strategy is to run a lean campaign through the fall, expending as little money as possible on staff, travel and advertisements until the early primaries draw closer. “We’ve run such a lean campaign at times, taken knocks for it,” said Terry Sullivan, Rubio’s campaign manager. “But keeping control of the budget is such an important thing.” Rubio’s strategy is driven in part by necessity. His campaign and outside groups supporting his candidacy have raised about one-third of Bush’s totals. Still, Rubio’s advisers point to Walker’s financial woes as validation. Walker built a large network of staff and consultants, but quickly burned through the money he needed to keep the expensive organization afloat. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Marco Rubio to hold major fundraiser Sept. 22 in affluent Dallas suburb
Marco Rubio brings his vision of a “New American Century” to Texas next week with a high-profile fundraiser reception in the exclusive Dallas suburb of Highland Park. Real-estate investor Harlan Crow and his wife Kathy will present the $2,000-per-couple event, scheduled for Tuesday, September 22. Host reception begins at 6:30 p.m.; general reception is at 7 p.m. The host committee, still in formation, includes former Republican U.S. Senator Phil Graham, Dallas-based investors George Bayoud and George Seay – a former top moneyman for Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential run — and Florida lobbyist Nick Iarossi. South Carolina Congressman Trey Gowdy, the outspoken conservative who serves on the House Select Committee on Benghazi, is the special guest. For an event chair spot, supporters need to raise $10,800; to host is $5,400 per couple. Chair level donors get two tickets to an October retreat, two tickets to the VIP Reception and a photo opportunity with Rubio. Location of the event is at the Crow’s historic home in Highland Park, an affluent area that some observers consider one of the nation’s most enthusiastically Republican districts. Near Dallas’ financial center, Highland Park enjoys some of the lowest property tax rates in Texas — a state without income tax – as well as having one of America’s best school systems. Attendees will have a chance to meet with Rubio, the 44-year-old senator who characterizes his presidential candidacy as a path to the “New American Century,” with both wisdom and experience to lead the country through challenging economic times.
Presidential Primary Brief: 421 days until Election Day
167 days until AL Presidential Primary 421 days until Election Day Convention Dates: Republican July 18-21 2016, Democratic July 25-28 2016 Weekly Headlines: Rick Perry drops out of 2016 presidential race Poll: Clinton’s lead over Sanders drops to 10 points Press Clips: What candidates can bring to the debate (Washington Post 9/13/15) With the excepting of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-‐Tex.), the campaign’s Eddie Haskell who fawns over Donald Trump, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has tried to steer clear of him, most every contender in the GOP presidential field has landed a blow or two against Trump. They, collectively, have rebuked him for misogyny, racism, xenophobia, ignorance, arrogance, inconsistency and more. Pundits obsessed with meaningless national polls are convinced this is not working, but in fact each candidate in his or her way is building the case against Trump. They are working to limit his appeal and to throw him off his game. Can Democrats sway young evangelicals? (CNN 9/13/15) It’s just another odd first in a presidential contest already replete with them. On Monday, Sen. Bernie Sanders, a liberal, Jewish socialist from Vermont, will become the first Democratic presidential contender to speak at Liberty University, the evangelical school founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried the evangelical vote since Jimmy Carter, a Southern Baptist, won the White House in 1976. Four years later, Falwell and his powerful new Moral Majority helped Ronald Reagan oust Carter and put evangelicals solidly in the Republican camp for decades to come. Rand Paul plans to attack Trump in the next debate (NewsMax 9/12/15) Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul said on Saturday that he would sharpen his attacks on front-‐runner Donald Trump in the second debate on Wednesday — and the real estate mogul quickly fired back on Twitter. “I think I was a little too easy on Donald Trump last time,” the Kentucky senator told Politico, referring to the Aug. 6 debate in Cleveland. “That’s given in jest. “And I think that it’s hard to say in advance exactly what will happen because you are somewhat bound to the questions that you’re going to answer them,” Paul added. “And I plan on answering them.” Joe Biden opens up to Steve Colbert about his 2016 doubts (NBC News 9/11/15) In a moving interview with comedian Stephen Colbert on Thursday night, Vice President Joe Biden suggested he is not yet emotionally prepared to run for president in 2016, as he is still reeling from the death of his son earlier this summer. “I don’t think any man or woman should run for president unless, number one, they know exactly why they would want to be president and, number two, they can look at folks out there and say, ‘I promise you, you have my whole heart, my whole soul, my energy, and my passion to do this,’” Biden told the Colbert, who recently took the helm of on CBS’ “The Late Show” from longtime host David Letterman. Paul rallies to defund Planned Parenthood (Politico 9/10/15) GOP presidential hopeful Sen. Rand Paul headlined a rally Thursday to cut off Planned Parenthood funding — but didn’t reveal whether he had signed on to a letter demanding defunding being circulated by Sen. Ted Cruz, a rival in the Republican primary. Paul joined leading anti-‐abortion activists including Sarah Palin at the rally on Capitol Hill calling on Congress to exclude any taxpayer dollars for Planned Parenthood in the spending bill that has to be passed to avert a government shutdown at the end of the month. Former Clinton IT staffer takes the Fifth (Politico 9/10/15) Hillary Clinton’s former IT staffer who handled her private email system asserted his Fifth Amendment right Thursday, refusing to answer lawmakers’ questions about her unusual tech set-‐up. In a closed-‐door session in the basement of the Capitol Building, Bryan Pagliano rebuffed each inquiry by the House Select Committee on Benghazi after 24 hours of partisan bickering over whether he needed to appear at all. Two DNC vice chairs call for more Democratic presidential candidates (Politico 9/9/15) A pair of Democratic National Committee vice chairs echoed presidential candidate Martin O’Malley’s call to increase the number of primary debates on Wednesday, asking the party committee to add new events and to drop the existing threat of punishment for candidates who participate in unsanctioned debates. “We are the party that represents democratic principles, openness and transparency, and ensuring that all people, regardless of who they are or where they are from, have a level playing field and equal opportunity,” wrote Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak in a Facebook post.
Rick Perry first to exit 2016 Republican presidential race
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry ended his second bid for the Republican presidential nomination on Friday, becoming the first major candidate of the 2016 campaign to give up on the White House. The longest-serving governor in Texas history told a group of conservative activists in St. Louis that “some things have become clear” and he was suspending his campaign. “We have a tremendous field of candidates — probably the greatest group of men and women,” Perry said. “I step aside knowing our party is in good hands, as long as we listen to the grassroots, listen to that cause of conservatism. If we do that, then our party will be in good hands.” Dallas businessman and longtime Perry donor Roy Bailey said Friday that the former governor called him Thursday night and broke the news that he was planning to leave the race. “He was very matter of fact, he was confident in his decision,” Bailey said. “He hated it, because he’s such a competitive person, that that’s what it came down to. He’ll take a breather and jump back into life out of politics.” Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who took the stage at the Eagle Forum conference in St. Louis immediately after Perry announced his exit, called on the crowd to pray for Perry’s future success. “The only thing harder than to get into a race for something like president, is to make the decision to get out of the race,” said Huckabee, the runner-up for the GOP nomination in 2008. “And I hope that all of you will recognize that it was a very difficult decision. I’ve been there before.” Four years after his first bid for the White House ended after disappointing finishes in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Perry this time couldn’t even make it to the second debate night of the 2016 race. After failing to poll well enough to qualify for the featured primetime debate last month, Perry was again relegated to a pre-debate forum for the back of the pack at next week’s debate at the Reagan Library outside Los Angeles. He delivered a stronger performance at that first event than he did four years ago, when he couldn’t remember the third federal agency he’d promised to close if elected and muttered, “Oops” — a moment that doomed his bid in 2012. But few noticed in a 2016 GOP campaign dominated by billionaire Donald Trump, who stole away Perry’s Iowa campaign chairman after Perry was forced to suspend paying members of his staff as his campaign fundraising dried up. “It’d be easy just to keep going, be easy to go do the debate next week, be easy to keep going to Iowa and South Carolina and other states and everything and taking your money and dragging it out,” Bailey said. But, Bailey said, “he could see it was pretty obvious to him he wasn’t going to be the next presidential nominee from the Republican Party.” A group of super PACs, largely funded by three big Perry backers, had briefly kept Perry afloat by raising $17 million, hiring their own Iowa staff and producing television and digital ads and mailers. His decision Friday came as a surprise to those groups, which are barred from communicating directly with the campaign. A pro-Perry super PAC emailed its supporters Friday morning saying it was back on television in Iowa to promote his candidacy. A Twitter message from the group sent later in the morning further emphasized, “In It For the Long Haul.” “The decisions of a candidate to get into to, or out of, a campaign of this magnitude are intensely personal, family decisions,” said Ray Sullivan, the co-chair of one of the pro-Perry super PACs. “The campaign’s cash position matters, your poll numbers matter, but those things are surmountable if the candidate and his family are willing to stick it out even against seemingly long odds.” Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
