Thousands of Californians give re-election to Trump 2020

Washington

For thousands of Californians, the almost constant attacks of President Donald Trump against their country of origin did not offend. In fact, they spend millions of dollars to do it for four years.

The president's re-election campaign has raised $ 1.7 million from California donors, giving $ 200 or more in the first three months of 2019 – and arguably more small donors in the state. whose information does not have to be disclosed.

It's just a fraction of what Trump's rivals in 2020 collectively raised in the democratically-minded state. Californian Senator Kamala Harris alone has raised $ 4.3 million from major donors in her home country.

The funding gap is not surprising. Democratic Hillary Clinton garnered 4.2 million more votes than Trump from Californians in 2016, and Trump remains historically unpopular in that state. A poll conducted in March by a public policy institute in California, California found that only 29 percent of adults and 34 percent of potential voters in the state approve of how they manage their work.

Meanwhile, state leaders have engaged at least 47 lawsuits challenging the Trump administration's policies, blocking some of its initiatives in immigration, environmental, and environmental matters. Health care.

The president returns the sentiment, regularly assaulting the state and its Democratic leaders on Twitter. In his last salvo, last weekend, Trump Tweeting that the federal government has the right to transfer undocumented immigrants into the state, "which is well known (for) its mismanagement and high taxes!"

The president has a core of dedicated fans in California, many of whom are willing to pay large sums of money for his re-election campaign although it appears to lack the kind of wealth that California's donor class typically has.

While leading Democrat candidates like Harris and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker have received big checks from Silicon Valley technical officials, Hollywood lawyers, lawyers and investors experienced, the majority of Californians who donated $ 200 or more to Trump's re-election campaign identified as retirees, freelancers or freelancers, including security guard, window cleaner, auto mechanic and secretary.

The president received more contributions from carpenters – $ 1,590 – than actors – $ 805.

Most gave in small increments, totaling $ 200 or more over the period, rather than making a single check for $ 2,800, the federal limit for individual campaign donations.

Brendan Fischer, director of federal reform at the Campaign Legal Center, a rights group, said the Trump campaign reflected a broader trend in fundraising. more than.

Trump has shown himself particularly adept at this tactic, especially compared to other Republicans, who have lagged behind Democrats in raising awareness of small donors.

"At least anecdotally, Trump seems to be an outlier, "said Fischer. "He certainly knows his base and I think Brad Parscale, who was his digital director at the 2016 election and now his campaign manager for 2020, has made a very effective use of online financing strategies."

Just as the president has appealed to marginalized voters across the country, many Trump donors in California have probably been affected by the rising cost of living, left behind by an economic boom that has created enormous wealth but also aggravated inequalities.

They are spread throughout the state. Residents of the Greater Bay Area, a bastion of liberalism, contributed more to Trump's reelection than those of the traditional epicenter of Republicans, Orange County – between $ 267,000 and $ 213,000. Donors in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area donated $ 112,000, while other donors donated $ 126,000.

The majority of donations to the president's re-election campaign came from a fundraising partnership with the Republican National Committee, which allows the two committees to partner to organize events and solicit donations.

"It's been three years since we launched the largest online fundraiser ever, supported by more than a million small donors since President Trump's inauguration." said Republican party spokeswoman Christiana Purves. "The RNC is already investing in our national, permanent, data-driven field program to place President Trump and the Republicans in a prime position for another historic election night in 2020."

Overall, Trump has raised more than $ 30 million for his re-election bid from January to March this year, well ahead of all his Democratic rivals. Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders led the Democrats with $ 18.2 million.

While Sanders has proven his strength to small donors, by collecting $ 15.3 million from donors under $ 200, Trump has demonstrated that he can also compete with Democrats on this front. The president raised $ 4 million from small donors nationwide, just shy of Harris' $ 4.4 million.

The president is also about to receive many wealthy donors. As Fischer points out, Trump supporters formed a Super PAC and a nonprofit organization, known as the Dark Money Group, which does not have to disclose its donors. Both types of fundraising accounts can accept unlimited amounts of money from individuals and are likely to play a major role in general elections.

"Big donors always find many ways to support President Trump," said Fischer, "and presumably assume some sort of influence."

Update: This story has been updated to include a comment from the RNC.