Subject: Follow the Money - January 2024 Edition
The Federal Election Commission issued summaries of the financial figures submitted by the national parties for January 2024. The results spell out a significant contrast from the tenor of the upcoming contest as reported in horse-racing terms by the media.

Cash on hand as of 1/31/2024:
* Biden campaign: $56 million
* Democratic National Committe: $74 million
* Democrats Total: $130 million
* Trump campaign: $30 million
* Republican National Committee: $35 million
* Republicans Total: $65 million

Campaign cash flow in January 2024:
* Biden raised $15 million
* Biden spent $6 million
* Trump raised $8.8 million
* Trump spent $11 million
* Halley raised $11 million
* (not sure what she spent)

The Trump cammpaign filings show that more than $5 million of the $11 million in January spending was spent on ads and "mailings" for his campaign. Hmmmm. Were those ads and emails pushing speciic issues related to the 2024 race?
Were they supporting House and Senate Republican candidates in key states? Or were they ads pushing people to contribute money to his PAC which is likely to be spent on his personal legal fees?

Again, these figures are for the Presidential campaigns and the national committees for each party. These do not include money on hand at the state party level. However, numerous stories published since mid-2023 point out that Republican coffers at the state level, including swing states, were virtually empty up through November 2023.

Money isn't truth. Money isn't turnout. Money isn't votes. In fact, money spent the wrong way on the wrong message can turn off voters and backfire. However, money can be a reflection of support, especially if it reflects grassroots contributions rather than megadonors giving thousands of dollars at a time. By that measure, the current financial picture of the top level campaigns suggests ACTUAL public support for Repblicans is far lower than what might be assumed from current press coverage.

It seems very likely that House Republicans in safe districts or Senate Republicans in solid red states may not really be comprehending the disaster that may be looming. With the Republican at the top of the ticket likely to devote VAST amounts of PAC cash to his personal legal fees (a prospect with legal / ethical implications worthy of a separate analysis...) and that same candidate not likely to share ANY remaining funds for mutual benefit of other candidates, any Republican sitting in a purple district or purple state running for re-election in 2024 is likely to find nothing in the tank to defend their seat. When you put Donald Trump at the top of your party, you put EVERYONE ELSE at the bottom in priority for everything you need to win an election. Money, attention and support.


WTH