Trump-backed challengers to Republican lawmakers lag in fundraising

By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Four candidates backed by Donald Trump to situation Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach him oregon footwear him from bureau are falling down successful raising wealth for their campaigns, according to disclosures filed connected Friday.

Trump, who near bureau successful January, remains a large power wrong the Republican party, which hopes to regain power of the U.S. Congress successful adjacent year’s elections.

Only a fistful of Republicans joined Democrats erstwhile Congress voted to impeach Trump and past held an unsuccessful ballot successful the Senate to region him from office, connected a complaint helium incited insurrectionists to onslaught the U.S. Capitol connected Jan. 6.

Trump has called the Republicans who crossed him “disloyal” oregon “losers,” and they person faced scorn wrong their party. Several person said they volition discontinue oregon not question re-election.

But those who are facing Trump-backed candidates successful upcoming enactment information contests truthful acold person raised much wealth than their challengers, which mightiness assistance them antagonistic Trump’s run against them.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a mean who was 1 of 7 Republicans who voted to convict Trump successful the Senate, raised $1.1 cardinal betwixt July and September, much than the doubly the $466,000 raised by her Republican challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a erstwhile authorities medication commissioner endorsed by Trump.

Murkowski – who ended September with $3.2 cardinal successful the bank, much than 10 times what Tshibaka had – raked successful wealth from corporate-run donor committees, according to a disclosure Murkowski filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Murkowski besides raised much than $75,000 done a associated fundraising effort with respective senators endorsed by Trump, including Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who voted against convicting Trump.

Raising much wealth by nary means guarantees victory, but it tin assistance candidates bargain costly tv advertisements and wage run staff.

Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who is wide seen successful large peril of losing her spot due to the fact that of her ballot to impeach Trump and her vocal disapproval of the erstwhile president, raised $1.7 cardinal during the three-month period.

Her Trump-endorsed opponent, lawyer Harriet Hageman, entered the contention successful aboriginal September and raised astir $300,000, oregon astir $100,000 a week, shy of Cheney’s fundraising pace.

Cheney, the highest-profile lawmaker of the 10 Republicans successful the House of Representatives who voted to impeach Trump, drew donations from a fig of Wall Street executives, including Blackstone Chief Investment Officer Prakash Melwani. Hageman received a donation from billionaire task capitalist Peter Thiel.

Trump has besides endorsed opponents to U.S. Representatives Fred Upton of Michigan and Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington state, who some voted to impeach him.

Upton raised $293,000 betwixt July and September, much than the doubly the $116,000 raised by his Trump-endorsed challenger, authorities lawmaker Steve Carra.

Herrera Beutler not lone voted to impeach Trump, she submitted grounds successful his Senate proceedings against the erstwhile president. She took successful $524,000 during the period, outraising Trump-backed Army seasoned Joe Kent, who raised $452,000.

Trump besides endorsed his erstwhile White House adjutant Max Miller to situation U.S. Representative Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, who said successful September helium would not question re-election. Miller’s disclosure filed connected Friday showed his run raised $695,000, astir of which came from a half-million-dollar publication helium made to his ain campaign.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Leslie Adler)