President Donald Trump’s flagship super PAC, MAGA Inc., had about $164 million remaining last week after spending $277 million to boost Republicans in midterms races, according to the latest federal campaign financial disclosures.
The spending mostly went through two other affiliated super PACs. MAGA Inc. transferred $200 million to No Going Back PAC and $25 million to Safety & Affordability PAC. It has also spent about $34 million since the start of September to run its own ads attacking James Talarico of Texas and other Democratic Senate and House candidates.
Trump’s team has not explained the reason for using separate entities; some Republicans have noted that the MAGA brand is unappealing in many competitive races.
MAGA Inc. picked up fresh checks in September from repeat megadonors: roofing company founder Diane Hendricks ($5 million, for a total this cycle of $30 million), real estate developer Stephen Wynn ($8 million), and Blackstone CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman ($5 million), according to filings Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission. The super PAC also received another $1 million from a division of Geo Group, the private prison company that has major business with the federal government, bringing its total to $4.4 million.
A conservative artificial intelligence think tank called Alliance for a Better Future contributed $1 million, as did helicopter company PHI Group, Florida lawyer Keith C. Wold, crypto casino billionaire Bijan Tehrani and Chicago private equity investor Konstantin Sokolov.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump said his political operation had committed $400 million to the midterms, including $300 million already spent on advertising, contacting voters, holding rallies and election monitoring. Trump says he has additional money in an affiliated nonprofit that does not have to disclose its finances until after the election and does not have to reveal its donors.
MAGA Inc. reported paying almost $50,000 to hold events at Trump properties in Virginia, Florida and New York. Paid advisers included fundraiser Meredith O’Rourke, pollster Tony Fabrizio, spokesman Alex Pfeiffer, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and investor Chris Buskirk.
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