Struggling Republicans urge Trump to open Maga Inc’s $400mn war chest

{"text":[[{"start":10.24,"text":"Donald Trump is sitting on a $400mn political war chest as fellow Republicans fight to keep power in Washington, prompting anxious lawmakers to urge him to unleash the cash pile just two months ahead of election day."}],[{"start":25.307,"text":"Maga Inc, the political action committee that supported Trump’s 2024 presidential run, has amassed more money ahead of the midterm elections than any other previous Super Pac."}],[{"start":35.756,"text":"But despite polls showing Trump’s party could lose control of Congress, the group has spent less than 1 per cent of its money on advertising this year and has yet to book future ads, according to Federal Election Commission and AdImpact data."}],[{"start":49.76,"text":"“I think certainly any resources that are on our side of the political aisle should be deployed sooner rather than later,” Ryan Mackenzie, the Republican representing a crucial swing district in eastern Pennsylvania, including Bethlehem, told the FT."}],[{"start":64.897,"text":"“If that’s what they were raising the funding for — to help our Republican team — they should make sure that it gets out as soon as possible.”"}],[{"start":77.2,"text":"Mackenzie and other Republicans had “definitely expressed” their desire for cash to Trump’s political operation, he said."}],[{"start":81.81,"text":"Other swing-district Republicans will join House Speaker Mike Johnson at a Rose Garden dinner with Trump at the White House on Wednesday night, which could offer them a chance to plead their case."}],[{"start":91.66,"text":"Trump’s sagging approval ratings leave Republicans facing a tough election race over the next two months. Most US voters say they have become worse off under the president, according to a recent FT poll, as an unpopular Iran war pushes up the price of fuel and other goods."}],[{"start":108.039,"text":"Billionaires and other mega-donors have poured money into US election campaigns in recent years, helping to pay for costly advertising and boost favoured candidates. Democratic Super Pacs have also built up war chests for the midterms, although none has registered as much money as Maga Inc."}],[{"start":127.04,"text":"Max Miller, an Ohio Republican congressman who has faced allegations of domestic violence from his ex-wife, told the FT that every Trump supporter “would encourage [the president] to spend that money to hold the majority, so he can accomplish the work that we need to finish during the rest of his administration”."}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":142.661,"text":"Mike Collins, a Republican running for the US Senate in Georgia, acknowledged that Trump had rallied voters in his state but said money would be critical."}],[{"start":150.88,"text":"“Trains run on coal,” Collins told the FT. “Campaigns run on gold.” Asked if he wanted Maga Inc’s help, he replied: “We’d love that, for sure.”"}],[{"start":161.92,"text":"Trump said last month that deployment of Maga Inc’s money was up to his discretion, although the Super Pac is legally barred from co-ordinating with candidates."}],[{"start":170.56,"text":"“I could spend it on pretty much anything I want,” he told a reporter from Punchbowl News. “I’m going to help Republicans.”"}],[{"start":180.88,"text":"The president’s political adviser James Blair also indicated that Republicans calling for Maga Inc cash will be satisfied. “They’re in luck!” Blair told the FT by text message."}],[{"start":189.512,"text":"“Maga Inc is committed to retaining and building the GOP majorities in the House and Senate. We are not in the business of sharing our battle plans with the press,” said the group’s spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer."}],[{"start":200.597,"text":"Maga Inc has been a vehicle for wealthy donors and business leaders to curry favour with the president, while supporting his pet projects including construction of the White House ballroom, the presidential library, inauguration committee and celebrations for the US’s 250th anniversary."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":216.24,"text":"Although the outside group was originally set up to support Trump’s 2024 effort, the Super Pac has continued to fundraise at a furious pace — even though Trump is prohibited by the US constitution from running for the White House again."}],[{"start":228.88,"text":"On Saturday, the president held a $1mn per person candlelight dinner at his golf club in Virginia, according to an invitation obtained by the FT. ExxonMobil chief executive Darren Woods was among executives at the fundraiser, according to a person familiar with the event. An Exxon representative said he did not pay to attend."}],[{"start":248.284,"text":"Johnson, the Republican speaker, was also in Texas last week to meet tech billionaire Elon Musk, who poured millions into Trump’s presidential run in 2024 — and who could single-handedly tilt the midterm money race towards Republicans."}],[{"start":262.11,"text":"Maga Inc made its first big expenditure of the year last month, spending $800,000 on text messages and phone calls to help Darline Graham win the Senate Republican primary to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham."}],[{"start":274.4,"text":"Trump’s allied non-profit, Securing American Greatness, which does not disclose its donors, spent about $20mn last year, according to AdImpact, and has reserved $1mn in future reservations."}],[{"start":287.613,"text":"The House has 21 seats rated as toss-ups by the non-partisan Cook Political Report, where Democrats have outraised Republicans $73mn to $62mn, according to an FT review of FEC records."}],[{"start":301.121,"text":"Democrats need to win just a few seats to take back the House and flip four Senate seats to win control of the upper chamber."}],[{"start":308.56,"text":"In Texas, Trump’s decision to support scandal-ridden Ken Paxton over the sitting Republican senator John Cornyn has given Democratic challenger James Talarico a chance to claim the seat."}],[{"start":320.32,"text":"“Because Texas is such an expensive state, we’re going to need the president and his team to be engaged there and to be putting resources into that race,” John Thune, the Senate Republican leader, told Fox News this week."}],[{"start":332.621,"text":"A Republican strategist said Maga Inc’s money was needed urgently or Democrats would win."}],[{"start":338.264,"text":"“What are they waiting for,” asked the Republican strategist. “If the president doesn’t step up, the Republicans will lose Texas.”"}],[{"start":346.67,"text":"Instead of spending money in the current election, Trump could direct Maga Inc’s funds to future campaigns or his presidential library, outside observers have said."}],[{"start":354.524,"text":"“I think the logical supposition at this point is that this is really a fund to not only advance Republican political goals in this election, but to help Trump essentially anoint his own successor in the 2028 election,” said Saurav Ghosh, director of federal campaign finance reform at the Campaign Legal Center."}],[{"start":372.071,"text":"Additional reporting by Michael Taffe"}],[{"start":379.76,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1788478678_3118.mp3"}