If Donald Trump Has No Money to Run What Happens? Money is the mother’s milk of politics.
A successful presidential contender needs high-dollar donors to give donations in the millions of dollars to supply Super PACs and low-dollar donors to show that there is ample grassroots monetary support from ordinary voters.
A source from NBC News thinks that Donald Trump is not bursting through with his fundraising goals. Trump may have raised only $9.5 million in the last six weeks of the year for his official campaign, along with Super PACs and joint committees.
We’ll know for sure when Trump releases his campaign finance report for the last quarter of 2022.
So what happens if Donald Trump can’t raise the money he needs? Well, winning in 2024 won’t be easy.
Fundraising Haul Since the Announcement Is Around $22 Million
Donald Trump will need more than the $9.5 million he raised in the latter half of his first fundraising quarter since he declared for the presidency. This total is lower than the $11.8 million raised from October 1 until November 15, the source who is familiar with the Trump financial efforts said. In a sign that he is concerned about a long, contested primary, he has hired a consulting firm that specializes in inspiring low-dollar grassroots supporters to open up their wallets.
Potential Lengthy Campaign Needs More Money
Campaign Inbox is the firm that will help Donald Trump encourage more donors to give so he can build out his get-out-the-vote efforts in early campaign primary states such as Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. He will need to use direct snail mail to collect contributions and blast his connections with text messaging to collect more money. And he will need a robust email effort to receive more dough.
Tap Facebook and Instagram for the Funds
Social media will be a big part of the digital side of the operation. Trump will use Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram, which have been re-instated. Trump has around 57 million followers on the two social networks. In just a few months in 2020, from April to November, Trump spent $89.1 million on Facebook ads alone. Many Republicans log into Facebook every day.
Some of the Wealthy Are Looking at Other Options
The former president started his campaign after the midterm elections when donors were tapped out. Other big check writers are staying on the sidelines to see how the 2024 presidential race develops. Some wealthy donors won’t be with Trump this time and have moved over to supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to announce his own run in May after the state’s legislative session.
He Still Has Small Donor Support
The good news for Trump, according to those familiar with the fundraising numbers, is that 99 percent of donors have given less than $200 to his campaign. This shows ample grassroots support. However, these donations only average about $32. He will continue to pester these voters using a barrage of methods to influence them to give more in the coming months.
Take It to the Max
Then there are “max out donors.” These people can give the maximum amount of money ($2,900) to a primary campaign. Trump will need to make inroads with these check writers. As the old fundraising joke says, “I have enough money to run my campaign, the problem is that it is sitting in your checking accounts.”
Touch Them Until They Give
Donald Trump is just getting started in his fundraising efforts and even if he has a less than stellar quarter, there is plenty of time to spark more giving with persuasive appeals. He will have to “touch” more donors though. A touch is when a campaign makes contact with a person, whether it is a piece of snail mail, phone call, email, or text. Numerous touches are required before someone donates.
But do people even have excess money lying around? Two-thirds of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Even those who are making over $100,000 a year are struggling financially. Trump will have to inspire some financially desperate people to give more. And don’t forget those billionaires that need to supply his Super PACs with “mother’s milk.” He must persuade the wealthy people to remain on the Trump Train and pay for the trip.
More: Should Joe Biden Quit?
More: How to Save Joe Biden?
More: Nikki Haley for President? Nope.
Author Expertise and Experience: Serving as 19FortyFive’s Defense and National Security Editor, Dr. Brent M. Eastwood is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Foreign Policy/ International Relations.
Leona R. Bray
February 5, 2023 at 10:56 am
No was seems to be concerned about Trumps stability and sanity only that the liberals are after him. Isn’t any one concerned about his capability of governing this country?, I am concerned that he basically would destroy Democery to gain his power. Do you really want to give this power to someone who is questionable. Have you read some of the books written by former employees of the administration. Do you think they are “just out to get him? I’m beginning to think some of the die hard Republicians are “closet white supermist”
Clyde Andrews
February 5, 2023 at 1:55 pm
DT has proven himself to be a con man; a carnival barker who couldn’t tell the truth if he had to. He has shown himself to be mentally unstable, and “not right in the head”. He has cheated on his taxes for decades; something an ordinary American would go to prison for. For the life of me I can’t understand why he still has supporters – u other than he preys on the weak, ignorant and “lower class” voters with promises of things he knows he can’t deliver (i.e. the famous border wall that never materialized. But even Faux News is bailing on him – once his biggest supporter in the media. Donnie needs to be locked away, either in prison or a mental institution. After all, he’s the one who said he could change the Constitution just because “he wanted toc. But he swears he’s done nothing wrong.??? Hello!? Americans are a lot smarter than he thinks – and we’re sick and tired of Hine. He’s like a fly in your house that you can’t squash. But I do believe the end is near for the “Teflon Don”. And it can’t come soon enough.
BKW
February 8, 2023 at 11:40 pm
Biden vs Trump in 2024. The battle of the octogenarians. How is that even a choice? Wish there was a third party.
richard ittner
February 12, 2023 at 9:53 am
I can only laugh when I see how DD/dirty Democrats say DT is a threat. all you need to do is look at Joe Biden. A blind person can see what a total moron he is. DT had the country moving forward and this Ahole is going backwards with all his moronic agendas. he could care less about the average American. The most Pathetic man ever to enter into politics. there you are that’s my opinion.
John Carney
February 13, 2023 at 2:08 pm
Richard is just another low IQ Trumpanzee.