Donald Trump rakes in astounding $27.5M from California and Nevada fundraisers in 2 weeks
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It proved to be profitable for former President Donald Trump in many ways during his three days in the Democrat-dominated state of California.
According to a senior campaign official who spoke with Fox News, the presumed Republican presidential nominee is anticipated to have raised approximately $27.5 million from his three fundraisers held late last week and this past weekend in California and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Donald Trump's campaign raised an additional $6M
The Trump campaign reported that an extra $6 million had been raised for outside organizations endorsing his rematch with President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election.
However, the former president also garnered the official support of a significant tech investor during his first fundraiser on Thursday, June 6, drew sizable crowds upon arriving at an Orange County fundraiser on Saturday, June 8, and positioned his California swing with rallies on Thursday and Sunday in Arizona and Nevada, two pivotal swing states.
What did Donald Trump's campaign senior advisor Brian Hughes say?
Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes pointed to what he called "massive turnouts at public events and fundraising events this weekend" as he emphasized that "donors at every level are giving us the resources we need, and enthusiastic voters in every corner of the country are creating an unstoppable movement to Make American Great Again."
Thursday's fundraiser was hosted by David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya
Two of Silicon Valley's biggest names, David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya, also co-hosts of the popular podcast 'All-In', hosted the fundraiser on Thursday, June 6, at Sacks' multimillion-dollar mansion in San Francisco's affluent Pacific Heights neighborhood, which is a blue bastion.
"When we agreed to do this event, we started off – the question was whether we could just raise $5 million, and that was the goal because as you well know, the Bay Area, is sort of a liberal bastion, and so we thought that $5 million might be a big lift," Sacks said in an interview on FOX Business' 'Kudlow' on Friday.
However, the Trump campaign reports that the fundraiser raised about $12 million, more than doubling initial projections. Additionally, hours before the event, Sacks endorsed Trump.
Donald Trump followed up the San Francisco fundraiser with big bucks finance events
Following the San Francisco fundraiser, the former president hosted lavish events on Friday in Beverly Hills and Saturday in Newport Beach, where 3,000 supporters welcomed Trump, as per the local police.
The trip does not imply that the Trump campaign believes that California, which leans heavily blue, could be at risk.
Rather, Trump's appearances, such as Vice President Harris' two sold-out Bay Area fundraisers on Wednesday and Biden's San Francisco area fundraisers last month, are the most recent evidence that California is still a vital source of campaign funding.
What did political analyst Bill Schneider say?
Longtime political analyst Bill Schneider noted that the late GOP President Ronald Reagan, who lived for decades in the Golden State, "really blazed the trail of fundraising for Republicans in California." But he added that "both Democrats and Republicans use California for an ATM machine."
"Republicans don't do well in votes, but they do well in money in California," Schneider told the outlet.
Joe Biden's star-studded fundraiser in California this week
On Saturday, June 15, Biden will make his way back to California to participate in a star-studded fundraiser in downtown Los Angeles alongside former President Obama, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Jimmy Kimmel, the host of late-night talk show.
A top Golden State Republican told Fox News that fundraising not only brings in campaign cash, but that it also sends a message.
"In California, there are many voters who seek a change in the White House, and contributing to presidential campaigns is a crucial way for us to make our voices heard beyond the ballot box. This form of participation sends a powerful message to the rest of the country that not all Californians align with the current political climate," said California Republican Party Vice Chair Corrin Rankin.
"California stands as a case study of the failure of Democratic policies, with many residents experiencing firsthand the negative impacts of these policies," Rankin argued.
"As a result, Californians understand better than most the consequences of another four years under Biden’s administration. This has galvanized many to fundraise actively for a better alternative… Our fundraising success here underscores the diverse political landscape of California and the strong desire among many of its citizens for a different direction at the national level," he added.
