The cash-strapped Republican National Committee will consider opening a line of credit when members gather for their winter meeting that starts Tuesday in Las Vegas, The Washington Times has learned.
The credit-line question will be put to a vote by RNC members at the meeting.
The RNC’s money problems have been mounting since officials announced last summer a $15 million shortfall from projected fundraising levels, with both big-dollar and small-donor contributions drying up.
“They’re going to ask the members to take a vote on opening up a line of credit for the RNC, which would allow the RNC to borrow money,” an alarmed RNC member told The Times.
A party official close to RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel insisted the new credit line was nothing unusual. The official said the executive committee authorizes more credit every year in case it is needed, but that does not mean the party will draw from it.
Some have blamed the RNC’s financial hardships on a double-edged “Trump effect.”
According to that theory, big-dollar donors weren’t giving last year because many didn’t want to support former President Donald Trump, and small-dollar contributions were not coming in because those donors did not think the RNC was sufficiently supporting Mr. Trump.
Whatever the reason, the RNC is trailing in the money race.
The Democratic National Committee reported having about $20 million in the bank as of Nov. 30, more than double the RNC’s $9 million cash on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
What’s more, state parties such as Michigan, Florida, Arizona, Colorado and Minnesota have weathered their own fundraising and leadership problems, according to reports.
In Colorado, the state party chairman, Dave Williams, who is now running for Congress, raised red flags about the finances when he took the helm in 2023. The state party now has over $540,000 cash on hand compared to the Colorado Democratic Party’s $190,000, according to the most recent FEC filings.
The upcoming RNC meeting will need to sort out the rightful chair to the Michigan State Party and deal with the fallout of the ousted Florida GOP chairman accused of sexual battery against a Sarasota woman.
RNC officials disputed claims that the party’s finances are not in order. They noted that in 2023 the RNC raised $85.2 million in 2023 and that other federal political committees for both parties such as the Democrats’ and Republicans’ congressional campaign arms were also suffering fundraising setbacks.
The RNC noted that their cash on hand is no different than where the DNC was at the same point in the election cycle for both 2020 and 2016.
Indeed, the DNC had $5 million to the RNC’s $18 million at the same point in the 2016 cycle and about $10 million to the RNC’s nearly $76 million at the same point in the 2020 cycle, according to FEC filings.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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