From Axios:
Some of Donald Trump’s handpicked candidates are hitting an obstacle in their efforts to purge the Republican Party of Trump skeptics: money. Lots of it.
Driving the news: Key Trump-backed Republican challengers were heavily outraised by their Republican primary opponents late last year, newly filed financial reports show.
- The money advantage has the potential to play a decisive role in closely watched House and Senate primary contests this midterm year.
- And the lack of it can spell trouble for a number of candidates Trump has endorsed out of personal affinity, or simply a hatred of the more moderate Republicans they’re looking to unseat.
By the numbers: The trend was most evident in Wyoming.
Other Republicans who, like Cheney, voted to impeach Trump early last year also outraised Trump-backed challengers.
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) brought in nearly $1.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2021. Her Trump-backed challenger, Kelly Tshibaka, raised just over $600,000.
- Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) raised about $726,000, more than five times than the $135,000 taken in by primary rival Steve Carra.
- Rep. Jamie Herrera Buetler (R-Wash.) raised $525,000 to challenger Joe Kent’s $306,000.
- John Gibbs, who’s challenging Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), only entered the race in early November, yet the $51,000 he raised during the last two months of the year was well below the pace of Meijer’s Q4 total of $530,000.