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As much as most of us hate to admit, money plays a very big role in the potential of a campaign to do well. It’s never a guarantee; some huge fundraising candidates have failed miserably while some with limited funds have flourished. Lest we forget, the most money ever raised by a non-presidential candidate was Francis Beta O’Rourke’s failed senatorial campaign.
But money still plays a major role, which is why a lot of attention is being paid to the amounts raised by Republicans running for president. Here’s an article by Mary Lou Masters at Daily Caller News Foundation with the details followed by my commentary about the three things that surprised me…
Here’s How Much Campaign Cash 2024 GOP Candidates Have Going Into The Next Fundraising Quarter
- Presidential candidates filed their second quarter fundraising totals with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Saturday, providing a glimpse into the financial strength of the Republican 2024 hopefuls.
- While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reported more total receipts than former President Donald Trump, the former president ended Q2 with more cash on hand, followed by South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, according to the FEC filings.
- “The most important number is cash on hand, minus debt,” Mike Murphy, a GOP strategist, previously told The New York Times. “You see how much financial firepower they actually have.”
Presidential candidates filed their second quarter totals on Saturday, which provided a glimpse into how much hard cash the 2024 GOP hopefuls have heading into the third fundraising period.
Candidates had until the end of day Saturday to file their Q2 totals with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump reporting the highest receipts among the crowded field of GOP contenders. The cash on hand totals provided a clearer picture as to how many hard dollars the respective campaigns have going into the fall, and indicated South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott sits just behind the former president, according to the FEC filings.
“The most important number is cash on hand, minus debt,” Mike Murphy, a GOP strategist, previously told The New York Times. “You see how much financial firepower they actually have.”
The former president’s campaign previously announced a total of $35 million combined with his joint fundraising committee, Save America PAC. Trump’s campaign raised $17.7 million during his campaign’s third fundraising quarter, but reported over $22 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing.
The candidates’ second quarter fundraising totals aren’t fully known, as super PACs aligned with the presidential candidates have until the end of the month to report their Q2 totals. The total of individual contributors are also not included in the candidates’ second quarter filings, which is a crucial factor in making the debate stage in August by meeting the Republican National Committee’s 40,000 unique donor threshold.
Scott’s campaign brought in nearly $6 million in his first quarter as a presidential candidate and followed Trump’s haul with over $21 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. The senator’s campaign, combined with Trust In The Mission PAC, previously reported raising approximately $25.4 million during Q2.
DeSantis’ campaign raked in over $20 million since his late May campaign launch and ended the second quarter with $12.2 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. Super PAC Never Back Down previously announced that, combined with the campaign, the governor had mounted $150 million.
Conservative businessman Vivek Ramaswamy raised $7.7 million and ended his second quarter as a presidential candidate with $9 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley brought in $5.3 million during the second quarter of her campaign and will enter the third quarter with nearly $7 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. Haley’s campaign, combined with aligned super PAC SFA Fund Inc., previously announced they raised $26 million during Q2.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum raised $11.7 million since his early June presidential launch and ended the second quarter with approximately $3.7 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. The governor gave his own campaign approximately $10.2 million and raised $1.5 million from outside contributors.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie brought in $1.65 million since his early June campaign launch and has $1.59 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing.
Former Vice President Mike Pence garnered nearly $1.2 million since launching his campaign in early June and he ended the second fundraising quarter with nearly $1.1 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. Pence and super PAC Committed to America previously reported to raise a combined $3.85 million during his first fundraising quarter.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez raised just under $1 million since his mid-June presidential launch and reported $898,850 cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. Suarez previously announced that his campaign and aligned super PACs garnered $13.6 million in the second quarter.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson raised just $582,521 since his early April campaign launch and has $378,677 cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd garnered $273,512 during the first few weeks of his presidential campaign and ended the second quarter with $245,118 cash on hand, the filing showed.
Conservative radio personality Larry Elder brought in $15,603 since his late April presidential announcement and reported $9,171 cash on hand, according to his filing.
President Joe Biden raked in approximately $19.87 million during the first quarter of his reelection campaign and ended it with $20 million cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised nearly $6.4 million and Marianne Williamson raised just under $1 million, and their campaigns reported $4.5 million and $104,990 cash on hand, respectively, the documents show.
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Three Surprises
There isn’t a lot to question here. Most of what we’re seeing is pretty predictable. Donald Trump’s supporters love him enough to donate. Asa Hutchinson doesn’t have the name recognition to get enough money to be taken seriously. Joe Biden is using the left’s donation-filtering-scam to fill his coffers. All expected.
Here’s what I didn’t expect…
- Mike Pence Is Barely Ahead of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez: It’s no secret that I don’t like Mike Pence and I’m glad to see him having troubles, but I had no idea how many other people agree with me. $1.2 million is pitiful, and while some may point out he declared late, so did Francis Suarez who’s barely behind him.
- Ron DeSantis Is PAC Driven: This shouldn’t have been a surprise to me if I had been paying closer attention. It was announced that he had raised $150 million and sadly I didn’t pay attention to the story. Now that I see only $20 million came to his campaign directly, it’s far less impressive that he raised so much from mega-donors to his PAC. Don’t get me wrong. $20 million is still very impressive, but it’s not like he’s blowing away the competition with small donors. He’s being propped up heavily by his PAC, which isn’t a good sign for his prospects.
- Vivek Ramaswamy Is the Dark Horse: I would argue that there’s Donald Trump, and then there are the “backup” candidates in case Democrats and the Deep State can somehow get Trump out of the race. What surprises me is that Ramaswamy is raising so much money… and eyebrows. And he’s doing it without attacking Trump. Considering two years ago Republicans hadn’t heard of him, it’s amazing that he’s doing better than known players like Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, and the aforementioned Pence.
The nomination seems to be Trump’s unless he’s artificially knocked out. There’s still a lot of time for things to change but it appears the rest of the candidates are either vying for a cabinet position or hoping that legal manipulation by Democrats can compel Trump to leave the race.
What do you think? Sound off on my Substack.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
