Arizona Republicans hope that a post-verdict surge in donations for former President Donald Trump could be a “turning point” for their own struggling fundraising.
“If you thought [the verdict] was a big day for fundraising, just wait until sentencing day,” a Republican strategist in Arizona told NOTUS.
Arizona Republicans desperately want more funding for multiple high-stakes races, including the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. While it’s too soon to say for sure, multiple strategists and campaign figures told NOTUS they think the post-verdict Trump donations could trickle down to Arizona.
Republican National Committee co-Chair Lara Trump, who is also Trump’s daughter-in-law, said on CNN Sunday that the committee had raised $70 million in the two days after the verdict. The National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee shattered previous fundraising records Thursday. The NRCC received at least $300,000 in donations, according to Punchbowl News, and the NRSC said it raised $360,000. Online platforms WinRed and Anedot crashed Thursday after the verdict.
That could be a good thing in Arizona. State GOP Chair Gina Swoboda has raised concerns to the RNC that Arizona isn’t getting sufficient funds to run competitive races and was told this would change, The Washington Post previously reported.
So far, though, there hasn’t been a notable change in funding, according to Kim Owens, a Republican and director at Gordon C. James Public Relations firm in Phoenix. She said that might change after the July Republican National Convention but that the party may also opt to focus on other states rather than Arizona.
“When there is a limited amount of funds, they’re going to put it where they think they need it,” Owens said. “I think it’s clear that Trump is going to need it in other places. I do think it’s a bad decision not to have a higher profile in Arizona.”
Owens said it is still too early to tell whether the Trump verdict will have a long-term impact.
“It’s going to be one of those ‘time will tell’ things,” she said. “I think there will be a bump in the beginning but I don’t know if it’s sustainable.”
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Tara Kavaler is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.