GOP Drops Unprecedented Cash to Save Governors From MAGA Mutiny

[busybee01]

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It would appear that the RINO's are winning...hmm..or is it that the real RINO's are losing?

MSN

www.msn.com

When former Sen. David Perdue launched an aggressive Trump-backed challenge to Gov. Brian Kemp in Georgia, Kemp’s allies in Washington made an early commitment to go all-in to defend the incumbent from the MAGA onslaught.
The Republican Governors Association, the party’s official arm for governor’s races, wasted no time—nor spared any expense. For months, ads attacking Perdue were inescapable on Georgia airwaves.
In total, the RGA spent over $5 million in support of Kemp. It was an effort without precedent in GOP history, both in terms of dollars and in the fact that it had to be done at all.
But the return on that investment was clear: On Tuesday, Kemp trounced Perdue in Georgia’s gubernatorial primary.
The massive RGA cash dump, The Washington Post reported, is believed to have dealt a “devastating blow” to Perdue’s chances. Despite having Trump’s full backing—and millions of dollars of his campaign cash—Perdue limped to the finish line after running a listless campaign.
While the RGA’s involvement in the Georgia GOP drama has attracted the most attention—and might have the largest impact—Kemp is far from the only incumbent who has relied on the group’s help to make it through a primary fight.
The RGA also notched another win on Tuesday. Next door in Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey—whom the group spent $2 million to defend—dispensed with her primary challengers. Because she received over 50 percent of the vote, Ivey will avoid a runoff and cruise to re-election in that deep-red state.
In the 2022 election cycle so far, the RGA has spent over $9 million in support of incumbents in Georgia, Alabama, Ohio, Idaho, and Oklahoma. The group has never had to spend this much to defend sitting governors from primary challengers—or anything close to it.
That’s because the GOP of 2022 is in a historically anti-establishment mood. Of the 15 governors up for re-election this year, eight have faced primary challenges. Almost all of those challenges have come from the MAGA wing of the party, either from candidates with Trump’s endorsement or the support of key figures in his movement.
No Republican incumbent has lost a primary thus far, and it’s possible that all of them could survive their challenges this year. But that sterling record won’t come without a cost for the GOP, which has far more ambitious goals this year than getting their incumbents out of primaries unscathed.
There are 18 states with competitive governor’s races this year, according to the Cook Political Report. With Democrats facing stiff political headwinds, Republicans are hoping to ride backlash to Joe Biden’s presidency to flip governorships in states like Nevada and Wisconsin while holding onto power in key battlegrounds like Arizona and Georgia.
But in some marquee races, GOP candidates could need serious help from the RGA: the Republican nominee in Pennsylvania, 2020 election denier Doug Mastriano, has raised around $1.5 million in total—less than a tenth the amount of his Democratic opponent, Josh Shapiro.
Republican leaders have been frank about how the need to spend heavily against MAGA-fueled primary challenges has undermined their ultimate goal of winning as many states as possible in November.
“This is just not the best use of our money. We would much rather use it just in races against Democrats,” former Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ), who co-chairs a fundraising arm of the RGA, told the Post. “But it was made necessary because Donald Trump decided on the vendetta tour this year and so we need to make sure we protect these folks who are the objects of his vengeance.”
Jesse Hunt, a spokesperson for the RGA, said the group is “proud to work in support of our incumbent governors’ re-election efforts in 2022, each of whom will be re-elected for another four years.”
“Their accomplished records stand in stark contrast to the Democrat governors across the country who find themselves bogged down with personal scandals and failed agendas that will render them toxic with voters come November,” Hunt said.
But Democrats believe there’s no way for Republicans to get around the impact of the dollars that have gone out the door already.
Jared Leopold, a Democratic strategist who formerly worked at the Democratic Governors Association, said the RGA’s spending “takes a chunk out of what has been a historical advantage for Republicans on fundraising.”
“Every dollar they have to spend going on TV in Sioux Falls is a dollar they're not spending in Pittsburgh,” said Leopold. “Ultimately, there is no doubt that Donald Trump is the worst enemy of the RGA right now, and they are having to spend a lot of money to stop Donald Trump instead of attacking Democrats.”
When it comes to Trump’s vengeance, Kemp is the No. 1 objective. Next on that list is likely Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who the ex-president and the MAGA base have attacked for his implementation of measures to fight COVID-19.
But none of DeWine’s GOP challengers were able to mount a strong campaign against him, and with his super PAC armed with $1 million in RGA money, he defeated his closest rival by 20 points in the May 3 primary.
In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little did face a Trump-backed primary challenger: Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, a far-right figure with links to extremist militia groups. In the May 17 primary, Little defeated McGeachin by a wide margin. But the RGA spent nearly $100,000 to boost the incumbent governor, a sum that included an ad campaign on Fox News in the final days of the race.
In Alabama, Trump did not endorse any of the candidates challenging Gov. Kay Ivey, though the ex-president attacked Ivey because he blames her for scuttling a planned 2020 campaign rally in Alabama. One well-funded candidate, Lynda Blanchard, was Trump’s ambassador to Slovenia.
During the race, an organization called “Get Families Back to Work, Inc.” contributed $2 million to Ivey for the primary. That was RGA money; the group shares an address with the RGA and its listed officers are RGA employees, reported AL.com.
Ahead on the calendar, on June 28, Oklahoma Republicans will vote in what has become a contentious primary campaign, though it’s not predicated on Trump grievances.
There, Gov. Kevin Stitt is facing Joel Kintsel, the former head of the state’s Department of Veterans Affairs, who is basing his campaign on allegations of “cronyism” in Stitt’s office. Also in the running is Kevin Sherwood, a far-right candidate espousing MAGA rhetoric and COVID skepticism. In April, the RGA announced it reserved $577,000 in ads to back Stitt in the primary.

Pennsylvania will remain in Democrat hands. Even Republicans are endorsing the Democrat over the crazy right wing loon Republican. Even the state legislature will be more evenly divided. Michigan will remain in Democrat hands. Republicans have self-destructed. The same thing could happen.

 

[busybee01]

The way the GOP leadership tried to stop Trump, in the 2016 primaries, I will never forgive.

Trump was the choice of the REPUBLICAN voters. The leadership can go fuck themselves.

Not really. Trump won because of the winner take all rules in the Republican Party. He got well under 50% of the primary vote.

 

[Correll]

Not really. Trump won because of the winner take all rules in the Republican Party. He got well under 50% of the primary vote.

Yes really. Trump ran, his pro-job and anti-illlegal immigration positions were very attractive to the republican base. The GOP leadership wanted us to support another Bush.

I personally had no enmity with Jeb. But Trump was a far better candidate.

Then the Leadership tried to game the system to block Trump. That was an unforgivable betrayal.

They can go fuck themselves. Let the primaries go the way the voters want them.

 

[Clipper]

Afraid of Donald Trump???? Given the unending damage he inflicted on the nation and the world in his 4 chaotic years in office, the nation barely survived his Presidency, and over 1 million Americans died of covid because of his failed response.

He crashed the economy, plunged 8 million Americans into poverty, tore up your trade deals, and destroyed the American supply chain in the process. It will take years to undo the damage Trump has done to families and working people.

Last but not least, Trump is still trying to overthrow the duly elected government of the USA. In most countries, he would have been taken out and shot behind the White House on January 7th, 2021, but Americans didn't even arrest his sorry ass.

This criminal should never have been elected the first time. The people rejected him.

The same American institutions & criminal justice system that is saving Trump from standing blindfolded before a firing squad are the same ones that he's been trying to blow up since the day he took office & beyond.

But that's how Trump operates.

 

[whitehall]

Somebody named Sam Brodey said it for the "Beast". It's gotta be true don't it?

 

[scruffy]

No, I live in the real world where Trump is an asshole and everyone who voted for him a gullible idiot.

You live in a FOREIGN country.

STOP MEDDLING IN OUR POLITICS.

 

[busybee01]

Yes really. Trump ran, his pro-job and anti-illlegal immigration positions were very attractive to the republican base. The GOP leadership wanted us to support another Bush.

I personally had no enmity with Jeb. But Trump was a far better candidate.

Then the Leadership tried to game the system to block Trump. That was an unforgivable betrayal.

They can go fuck themselves. Let the primaries go the way the voters want them.

Trump ran his racist, right wing agenda. They made the mistake of running Romney off instead of Jeb. Romney was much better positioned.

 

[Correll]

Trump ran his racist, right wing agenda. They made the mistake of running Romney off instead of Jeb. Romney was much better positioned.

You said wacist like a retarded monkey. LOL.


Trump's pro-American policies were the best by far of any candidates that ran in 2016. That you can't accept that, is just you being a leftard with a sore pussy.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Trump ran his racist, right wing agenda. They made the mistake of running Romney off instead of Jeb. Romney was much better positioned.

 

[Billiejeens]

Not really. Trump won because of the winner take all rules in the Republican Party. He got well under 50% of the primary vote.

You should probably stay out of the politics forum.

 

[Billiejeens]

The same American institutions & criminal justice system that is saving Trump from standing blindfolded before a firing squad are the same ones that he's been trying to blow up since the day he took office & beyond.

But that's how Trump operates.

Look, I understand that you are one ignorant mother fucker, with no intention of changing,
but - President Trump is probably the cleanest politician that the US has had in 100 years or more.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

Afraid of Donald Trump???? Given the unending damage he inflicted on the nation and the world in his 4 chaotic years in office, the nation barely survived his Presidency, and over 1 million Americans died of covid because of his failed response.

He crashed the economy, plunged 8 million Americans into poverty, tore up your trade deals, and destroyed the American supply chain in the process. It will take years to undo the damage Trump has done to families and working people.

Last but not least, Trump is still trying to overthrow the duly elected government of the USA. In most countries, he would have been taken out and shot behind the White House on January 7th, 2021, but Americans didn't even arrest his sorry ass.

This criminal should never have been elected the first time. The people rejected him.

Wow, your country China failed to contain a virus and millions around the World died and you still blame Trump instead of your beloved leader Xi…

Also list the many things Trump could have done as President without trampling on State Rights?

Notice people are still dying from the virus and Biden has been President for two years now, so do you hold Biden accountable for the same failure you saw in Trump?

Of course not and why?

Biden is a Democrat and that is all that matter to a Chinese boy like yourself…

Also you are contributing numbers under Biden term to Trump as usual but you will deny this and then run away like the sniveling coward that you are!!!

 

[Clipper]

Look, I understand that you are one ignorant mother fucker, with no intention of changing,
but - President Trump is probably the cleanest politician that the US has had in 100 years or more.

HAHAHAHAHA!

Keep those smelling salts close by, jerkoff. You'll need them.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

HAHAHAHAHA!

Keep those smelling salts close by, jerkoff. You'll need them.

So, nothing of actual value to say.

 

[NotfooledbyW]

Trump's pro-American policies were the best by far of any candidates that ran in 2016.

You dropped the most critical adjectives: Trump's pro-white American policies…..

More exclusive “Trump's pro-white, Evangelical Christian nationalist, gun toting straight male, policies…

 

[Billiejeens]

You dropped the most critical adjectives: Trump's pro-white American policies…..

More exclusive “Trump's pro-white, Evangelical Christian nationalist, gun toting straight male, policies…

That's not reality.

 

[Billiejeens]

So, nothing of actual value to say.

What is he going to say -
He might be able to get his birthing person to log on and deny the sexual intercourse, but the ignorant part is indisputable.

 

[Correll]

That's not reality.

Notfooledbyw, is a completely dishonest person.

 

[Dragonlady]

You live in a FOREIGN country.

STOP MEDDLING IN OUR POLITICS.

I'm not "meddling" in you politics you stupid FuckBoi. I'm discussion American politics on a public message board. If you were any dumber, they'd have to come up with a negative IQ scale just for YOU!

Meddling in Canadian politics, Trump and his backers have been funding and providing assistance to the Trucker Convoy, who tried to disrupt Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa by demanding the Prime Minister - who was recently re-elected by the CANADIAN VOTERS, be forced to step down. That's "meddling' in Canadian politics. The USA has a long, sad history of "meddling" in Canadian politics, and it never goes well for you fools.

Maybe if you right wing idiiots looked OUTSIDE the USA once in a while, you'd realize how badly your country had deteriorated in the past 40 years under Republican leadership and policies. You used to lead the world in innovation and technological advancements. Now you lead the world in killing yourselves. You're heading to South American status, which is hardly surprising because the same Chicago School of Economics programs which are currently destroying your economy, is the reason why Argentina, Brazil and Chile are in such an economic mess and have been since the 1970's.

You had the resources to shut down covid, and instead you devolved into hate and one upmanship, and politicized the whole pandemic. You killed over a million people playing politics with a public health crisis. You lead the world in obesity, infant mortality, opoid addiction, gun violence, and hate crimes.

You're the ONLY first world country where life expectancy has been declining since 2015. Where the middle class is shrinking - with more people falling back into poverty, than are rising into wealth.

 

[Dragonlady]

Notfooledbyw, is a completely dishonest person.

Says the guy who continues to vote for that bastion of honesty and decency Donald Trump.

Seriously Correll, you wouldn't know a dishonest person if he jumped up and slapped you in the face and then denied doing it.