Republicans are getting creative to fundraise for the first debate
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Presidential campaigns are expensive, but Republican candidates hoping to make it to the first debate in August just need $1 from 40,000 people to get there.
To be invited to Fox News’ Aug. 23 debate in Milwaukee, the RNC requires candidates reach polling and fundraising minimums, including raising money from at least 40,000 donors with at least 200 donors from 20 different states. The mandate encourages candidates to campaign for small-dollar donors across the country and not just rely on a few big-dollar backers.
So far, though, only a few campaigns said they’ve qualified. The other campaigns are getting creative, trying to raise money by offering to pay people to donate.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a long shot candidate with low name ID, is gifting $1 donors $20 gift cards in an attempt to grow his donor base. Pitched to potential supporters in digital ads as “Biden Relief Cards,” one digital campaign ad tells potential supporters, “People are hurting because of Bidenflation, and giving Biden Economic Relief cards is a way to help 50,000 people until we get in office and fix this crazy economy for everyone!”
It’s an unusual strategy with a high cost per acquisition, but it’s also an expense that Burgum can afford: the former software company executive sold his company to Microsoft for $1.1 billion in 2002.
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Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is another Republican presidential promising to pay his donors. Ramaswamy’s campaign uploaded a video this week introducing his “Vivek Kitchen Cabinet,” which offers supporters 10% of the donations they raise for the campaign through a dedicated fundraising link meant to share with their network.
Ramaswamy said in a tweet Thursday that so far 1,000 people signed up for the program and that his campaign raised donations from more than 65,000 donors as of earlier this week.
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Former Vice President Mike Pence, whose campaign said they haven’t yet met the debate threshold due to Pence’s late entrance into the race but are confident they will, is running its own digital ads asking for $1 donations.
“I promise you, you put us up on that stage and we’re going to stand strong for all the conservative values and ideals that have always led the Republican Party to victory,” Pence says in one video ad.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s campaign said it met the debate fundraising requirements on Wednesday. While former President Donald Trump has said he’s not sure if he’ll attend the debate, Christie managed to attract small-dollar donors by promising to take Trump head on.
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“Donald Trump doesn’t want to get on stage with me because he knows I’ll tell the truth,” Christie said in an ad. “I’ll call him out like no one ever has. Unlike everyone else in this race, I won’t run from him. I’ll go right at him. Get me on the stage. Chip in just $1 today.”
A Morning Consult poll released Tuesday will count toward making it to the August debate, according to NBC News. The poll found eight candidates reach the 1% minimum threshold: Trump at 56%; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 17%; Ramaswamy at 8%; Pence at 7%; former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Christie at 3%, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson at 1%.
