GOP donors say Mike Johnson’s fundraising won’t 'ever get to the level of McCarthy'

07 May 2024

Although US Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted by his own GOP colleagues after a short stint as House Speaker last year, and ultimately replaced by US Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), the California lawmaker was known among his party for doing one thing well: fundraising.

The Daily Beast reports, "According to federal campaign finance records, Johnson still has yet to match his predecessor’s fundraising success, specifically when it comes to boosting the most vulnerable incumbent Republicans."

GOP lawmakers told the news outlet that the speaker's fundraising numbers are especially important during a critical "election year like 2024."

Republican strategist told the Beast, "When there is not a Republican president in office, the No. 1 political fundraising draw is the Speaker of the House."

Eric Levine, a Republican donor, told the news outlet, "McCarthy was a money machine. He just had a great talent for it.”

"People like to donate money to winners," Levine emphasized. "Now that he’s demonstrated leadership, I think you'll see a shift. I don’t think he’ll ever get to the level—maybe he will—but I don’t think he'll ever get to the level of McCarthy. But there’s no shame in that. McCarthy was just in a class of his own in terms of raising money. But I think you’ll start seeing a significant uptick."

Per the Beast, while noting the difficulty ahead, the speaker's team defended their boss.

"Since October, Speaker Johnson has built a team from the ground up, traveled to 25 states, and contributed millions directly to Republican campaign accounts across the country," Johnson's spokesperson said in a statement. His most recent quarter with over $20 million raised demonstrates the Speaker’s success and commitment to growing the majority."

The Daily Beast's full report is here (subscription required).

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