The Republican Party is gearing up to support Donald Trump’s legal challenges to election results, again, by ensuring they have enough money to pay the bills – with more than $90 million raised so far.
In anticipation of another election where the former president and his allies will likely spread allegations of rampant voter fraud, the RNC has raised approximately $94.1 million in its recount account, with roughly 31 percent of those funds coming from Trump’s joint fundraising committee, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Recount accounts are funds specifically set aside to be used for legal or recount expenses after the election. Often, the costs in an election fight amount to attorney or filing fees, travel and ballot recounting charges levied by counties.
Recount funds are subject to the same FEC requirements as individual donations. Individuals can give $2,800 and PACs can give $5,000. Individuals who have already maxed out their donations to a campaign may give an additional amount to the recount accounts.
Already, the RNC has spent $25 million of its refund money in preparation for post-election challenges.
The election isn’t over yet and it’s unclear who will be declared a winner but the aggressive fundraising indicates Trump and his allies are prepared to fight tooth and nail any allegations they raise.
The Democratic National Committee also has a recount account, however, their fundraising efforts for post-election challenges have been much less competitive than the RNC.
So far, Democrats have approximately $17 million in recount funds and spent around $6 million, according to the FEC.
That data is only through October 16 since that is the final FEC reporting deadline until December, which means the Democrats might have raised additional money.
In 2020, Trump raised more than $250 million using his false claims of mass voter fraud to encourage supporters and allies to donate to his efforts. Despite there being no evidence of mass voter fraud, Trump espoused that the election was “stolen” from him by Democrats.
A review by the January 6 Select House Committee found that much of that money did not go to a “defense fund” as Trump claimed but instead to a political action committee.
Both campaigns have indicated they’re prepared for legal challenges to arise post-election. Vice President Kamala Harris told NBC her team has “resources” and “expertise” ready to go should Trump reignite his claims.
Already, the former president has begun using rhetoric that questions the integrity of the election process. Despite being tied with Harris in national polls, he often tells supporters he is polling ahead in every state and suggests there’s no way he could lose.
Even if those claims are false, the RNC appears prepared to fund whatever challenges they want in battleground states.
