Sen. John Cornyn is privately pitching his fundraising prowess as his under-the-radar marketing campaign in opposition to Sen. John Thune to be the next GOP leader within the chamber quietly takes form behind the scenes.
Cornyn, a former Senate GOP marketing campaign chairman who hails from donor-rich Texas and has spent years constructing his political operation, is utilizing his fundraising equipment to ship out checks to incumbent senators working for reelection and GOP Senate nominees in key states.
Within the first quarter of 2024, Cornyn raised $5.6 million by means of his joint fundraising arm, referred to as the Cornyn Victory Committee, and to the Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee in addition to straight for GOP incumbents and candidates, based on a supply aware of his political operation. The supply stated the numbers, which aren’t but public, complete $17.2 million that Cornyn raised for Senate Republican incumbents and candidates this cycle.
The cash, which quantities to probably the most Cornyn has raised in a single quarter since his joint fundraising committee was established in 2021, elevated after Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky announced on February 28 that he wouldn’t run for chief within the subsequent Congress, ending what might be an 18-year tenure atop the Senate GOP, the longest of any occasion chief in historical past. Cornyn raised $2.8 million because the begin of the management race that started in earnest after McConnell made his announcement, the supply stated.
The jockeying over fundraising and the candidates’ ties with high-dollar donors are amongst a number of key elements that senators say they’re contemplating as they weigh whom to help for the high-stakes race, which is able to happen after the November elections.
The subsequent chief must chart out the GOP’s legislative and political technique; take the helm of McConnell’s high-spending tremendous PAC, generally known as the Senate Management Fund; and assist information the NRSC, which is the primary Senate GOP marketing campaign arm. And so they’ll have to boost gobs of money, recruit key candidates and go toe-to-toe with Senate Democratic Chief Chuck Schumer’s political machine.
Many Republicans stay uncommitted within the battle between Thune and Cornyn, that means the race for Senate GOP chief lacks a transparent frontrunner. Management races are secret-ballot affairs, typically making them practically not possible to handicap. Plus, it’s unsure if others will leap into the race. GOP Sen. Rick Scott advised CNN he’s “severely contemplating” working for GOP chief if he wins his reelection bid in Florida.
Many Republicans are torn.
“I simply assume in the event you check out each John Thune’s and John Cornyn’s document, they’ve obtained a rock-solid document by way of their status and the group,” stated Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican of North Carolina who’s struggling over whom to again for the job. “They’ve obtained huge footwear to fill by way of Mitch McConnell as a result of he kind of based the hassle, however I feel each of them are as much as the duty.”
However Thune, too, the No. 2 Republican who hails from a smaller state of South Dakota, has amped up his fundraising, headlining fundraisers for candidates in Washington and across the nation, based on a supply aware of Thune’s operation. And he has constantly pulled in huge numbers in his personal marketing campaign account, with practically $18 million in money on the finish of final 12 months.
Requested about Cornyn’s fundraising, Thune advised CNN, “He’s a very good fundraiser. I’m a very good fundraiser. We’ll all increase cash. All of us assist the group.”
A supply acquainted with Thune’s efforts wouldn’t present actual figures of his fundraising totals however stated no different senator has raised extra money straight for the NRSC this cycle than Thune, besides NRSC Chairman Steve Daines of Montana. Thune has attended greater than 200 fundraisers this cycle, the supply stated. (Daines additionally hasn’t stated if he would run for Senate GOP chief.)
Meantime, the supply near Cornyn stated – apart from McConnell – the Texas Republican has been probably the most proficient GOP Senate fundraiser since 2009 and that Cornyn’s fundraising efforts within the 2022 cycle totaled $20 million, behind McConnell and Scott, who was the NRSC chairman on the time.
Requested if he believes his fundraising offers him an edge over Thune, Cornyn advised CNN: “I feel our members are going to justifiably anticipate the subsequent chief to try this. Sen. McConnell has finished quite a bit by means of Senate Management Fund, and plenty of of my colleagues have benefited from that particularly given the amount of cash that Schumer’s tremendous PAC and others increase. However that is only one factor that I feel individuals will take into account.”
A number of different senators advised CNN they belief each Thune and Cornyn to construct out their already sturdy fundraising machines in the event that they have been to take over as GOP chief — one thing that occurs naturally for any occasion chief in Congress.
“I feel that may be a energy of all people I’ve heard working,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican of South Carolina, stated about fundraising. “I don’t assume that might be a distinguishing issue.”
Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican who has sparred with the present GOP management, acknowledged fundraising can’t be fully ignored and “it in all probability must be a part of a much bigger dialog, however that position has concerned a few of that so I’m positive that it’s taken under consideration.”
Requested if he was happy total with the present candidates within the race, he stated, “It’s means too early to say that.”
A number of senators stated that there have been a slew of things they have been contemplating in deciding whom to again for the race, together with their information, their management model and their very own private relationships too. Some pointed to the candidates’ relationship with former President Donald Trump as effectively.
One early introduced supporter of Thune’s, Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, stated fundraising is essential however that he backs Thune for different management qualities he sees in him.
“So far as fundraising, that’s a part of your job, proper, but in addition to be an efficient chief within the Senate is your job, too,” Mullin stated. “So all of it – it’s an all-complete bundle.”