Politics
Trump hosts battleground Republican lawmakers for Rose Garden dinner
The White House meeting coincides with mounting pressure on the president's political operation to deploy campaign funds ahead of the midterms.
The short version
- President Donald Trump invited dozens of GOP lawmakers, including candidates in competitive midterm races, to a Wednesday dinner at the White House.
- Republican candidates are seeking financial backing from Trump's $400 million political operation amid electoral headwinds and competitive Democratic spending.
- Simultaneously, Trump-aligned nonprofit group Securing American Greatness initiated a roughly $1 million national television ad campaign.
Key facts
- President Donald Trump invited a group of GOP lawmakers, including candidates in competitive congressional races, to a Rose Garden dinner at the White House.[Politico]
- Lawmakers planning to attend include Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden, Michigan Rep. Tom Barrett, and Georgia Senate nominee Rep. Mike Collins.[Politico]
- Trump's political operation, MAGA Inc., holds a war chest of approximately $400 million that party members are urging him to deploy for congressional races.[Politico]
- Securing American Greatness, a nonprofit aligned with Trump, placed a nearly $1 million two-week national television ad buy promoting tax policies and featuring UFC President Dana White.[Politico]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unconfirmed how much of the MAGA Inc. war chest Trump will allocate to competitive House and Senate races ahead of the general election.[Politico]