According to a report from the Washington Post, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has been pleading for money from the Republican National Committee to help bolster the struggling campaigns of some of his colleagues in the House — only to be ignored.
Following the "Blue wave" 2018 midterm election that resulted in the Republican Party losing control of the House, McCarthy has been attempting to stop the bleeding in 2020 in what is expected to be a high-turnout election with an embattled Donald Trump at the top of the ticket.
The report notes that McCarthy has asked the RNC which is flush with cash for a check for the National Republican Congressional Committee multiple times, only to be given a cold shoulder as the RNC focuses on keeping Trump in office.
The roadblock for the frustrated McCarthy reportedly is Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
"McCarthy specifically has asked Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, to make a financial commitment to the House GOP, according to several officials familiar with the discussions, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely describe private conversations," the report states. "But Kushner, who oversees such decisions and has a greater say than RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, has refused thus far, the officials say. While the Trump campaign and the RNC have brought in record amounts of money, some Trump officials see donating to the House as a wasteful investment as the GOP's chances of reclaiming the majority sharply deteriorate."
According to one White House insider, Trump and his advisors regard the House as a lost cause unable to overcome their minority status and are hoarding the money to salvage the president's re-election.
"The campaign just wants the money. . . . They don't care about the House — it's not their concern," the official stated. "When you've been working in politics for years, and you understand it's a team sport, you kind of look at these things a little differently. I don't think they see it that way."
According to the report, House Republicans are furious with Kushner, "many of whom believe the president has a duty to help the party — not just himself," particularly because some Republican House members in safe seats have forwarded donations in the tens of thousands of dollars to the RNC at the request of the president's campaign officials.
Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said Republicans have only themselves to blame.
"Washington Republicans have learned the hard way that encouraging people to drink bleach doesn't make for the most effective fundraising pitch," she said before adding, "House Democrats have outworked, out-hustled and outraised Republicans all cycle long. Our fundraising advantage is the firewall protecting our majority."
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