Trump allies launch new super PAC to bolster GOP candidates in midterms as
Called MAGA, Inc., the new group will meld with an existing Trump-sanctioned super PAC that has been mostly overseen by former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and former US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell. As of last month, that group had spent slightly more than $2 million to boost Trump-backed Senate and House candidates in their primary races earlier this year.
“President Trump is committed to saving America, and Make America Great Again, Inc. will ensure that is achieved at the ballot box in November and beyond,” Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich said in a statement Friday.
Budowich has been charged with running the new super PAC, along with former Trump campaign aide Steven Cheung, who will serve as its communications director; longtime Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio; veteran GOP operative Chris LaCivita, who will become the group’s chief strategist; and Sergio Gor, whose conservative publishing outfit released Trump’s first post-presidential book last year (a collection of White House and campaign trail photographs) and will serve as a senior adviser to MAGA, Inc. Alex Pfeiffer, a former producer for Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, will also join the operation.
With the November elections fast approaching, Trump has been under pressure to dip into his own mountain of cash to support candidates who he helped prevail in competitive primaries but who are now trailing or running close to their Democratic opponents. The former President, who has complained to allies in recent weeks about the Senate contests in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Arizona, had around $103 million in his coffers at the end of August, according to campaign finance reports from his leadership PAC, Save America, and the Bondi-run group.
People familiar with the matter said most of those funds will be transferred to MAGA, Inc., which is expected to start spending as soon as next week in key midterm races.
“He’s very concerned about Pennsylvania,” said a person who spoke to Trump recently and requested anonymity for fear of retribution. “We were talking about Pennsylvania and [GOP Senate hopeful Mehmet] Oz had been quoted as saying he would have voted to certify the 2020 election and the President is saying, ‘Now, why would he have done that?’ ”
This same person said Trump has also expressed concern about Senate candidate J.D. Vance, who is facing an unexpectedly competitive challenge from Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan in Ohio. “He really likes J.D. but Ohio is a little too close for comfort.”
Until now, Trump has refused to open the spigots much to help his handpicked candidates in their general election contests. While Save America gave $1 million to a pro-Oz PAC just before the Pennsylvania primary, the former President has not contributed financially to the Republican Senate hopeful since then. In Ohio, Save America wrote a $5,000 check to the Vance campaign in June.
Trump aides have long insisted that his spending is supplemented by the campaign rallies and fundraisers he has held to benefit various Republicans — including recent rallies in both Pennsylvania and Ohio — along with his coveted endorsement,…
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