Politico has a article on the financial trouble of the Republican National Committee, complete with a pic of Michael Steele begging to be the center of a caption contest.
So here’s what Politico is saying:
The Republican National Committee has just over $5 million in the bank for the final stretch of the 2010 midterm election campaign, according to an unannounced filing with the FEC disclosed Friday night.
The report also indicates that the national party headed by embattled chairman Michael Steele is carrying just over $2 million in debt.
…
The RNC’s money woes have many party leaders and operatives deeply worried about whether the GOP will be able to take full advantage of an otherwise promising election cycle.
Newsflash to the Politico but the grassroots doesn’t care if the RNC is low on cash. Most of us stopped giving money to them a long time ago. Some even went so far as to create movements dedicated to not giving money to Beltway Republican groups, like the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Instead of giving money to these groups who endorse liberal Republicans they think can win over conservative Republicans in the same race, many Republican donors are giving money directly to candidates they recognize as sharing the values they support.
Michelle Bachman for example. While the RNC is looking at a $5 million bank statement, Bachmann is hauling in cash:
The November election is still four months away, but incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann has already raised $4.1 million for her re-election campaign in the 6th Congresstion District.
That exceeds her total for the 2008 election cycle. Bachmann raised $1.7 million alone in the second quarter, her campaign said Wednesday.
Also, Joe Wilson, the man who told the president he was lying, is also raking it in:
South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson had similar numbers to Bachmann’s. Like Bachmann, he has taken in just over $4 million this election cycle, with $3.7 million of that coming from individuals. Unlike Bachmann, much of his financial support came last year. Wilson’s infamous outburst of “You lie!” during a September 2009 speech by President Obama sparked an outpouring of financial support. The Wilson campaign reported receiving $200,000 in the 24 hours after that incident, and nearly two-thirds of Wilson’s current fundraising total came in that quarter. Wilson’s $342,895 in receipts for the second quarter of 2010 pale in comparison.
Sen. Mike Pence, a strong conservative, had raised $1,755,298 as of July.
It’s very simple. If you want our money, you have to espouse our beliefs. I’m not going to part with my dollars so you can direct them to Dede Scozzafava’s campaign in New York. Instead, I’ll drop $20 to a candidate I know needs the money and shares my values.
Let’s not fall into the liberal storyline that the Republicans are hurting in an election cycle because they have turned to far to the right. It’s simply not true. The establishment Republicans are in trouble and have to change. Until they get that message and make some adjustments, the money is just not going to be there.
Update:
Linked at The Other McCain. Thanks, Stacy!
