- Trump is tapping into his massive war chest to help a series of key Republican Senate hopefuls.
- The ex-president is using a newly launched super PAC to purchase ads in states like Georgia and Ohio.
Former President Donald Trump is finally reaching into his nearly $100 million war chest to help support key Republican Senate candidates in the closing weeks before the midterm elections.
Trump's newly christened "MAGA Inc," a super PAC that's funneling donations from elsewhere in Trump's orbit, has spent millions across Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Ohio, and Nevada so far. The five states each boast a hotly contested Senate race that in a 50-50 chamber could decide whether Republicans retake control. The newly purchased ad time is so fluid that it's difficult to discern how much money the group is spending. AdImpact, a tracking firm, told Insider that for now it appears to be no more than $2 million in each state.
Politico previously reported that "MAGA Inc." was looking to make a big midterm splash. Taylor Budowich, a spokesperson for Trump, is overseeing the super PAC. Before this recent news, Trump was only spending minimal amounts to help Republican candidates. Instead, the former president has used endorsements and rally appearances to flex his kingmaker status.
Trump's endorsement helped power former football star Herschel Walker, reality TV star Mehmet Oz, author JD Vance, and venture capitalist Blake Masters to their respective nominations in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Arizona. Some of their campaigns have struggled since, leaving Trump in the position of weakening his political brand if they struggle come November. Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt was a top 2020 campaign official in the state and led an unsuccessful effort to overturn Biden's victory there.
Since the spending is being done by a super PAC, the ads cannot be coordinated with the various campaigns. But outside spending can make a major difference in close races, especially when the candidates or their parties are strapped for cash.
According to their most recent campaign filings, Oz, Vance, Masters, and Laxalt were all easily dwarfed by their Democratic opponents in terms of fundraising. Pundits largely view the four races as too close to call. The Cook Political Report still has Vance with a slight edge in Ohio while Masters continues to lag just behind Sen. Mark Kelly.