Republican Candidates Appear To Have Bought Trump Endorsements With Mar-a-Lago Spending

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A number of Republican candidates spent big money at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club and then got his endorsement.

The campaigns of seven Republican candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump spent over $400,000, combined, at his private club Mar-a-Lago in the buildup to Tuesday’s primary clashes, according to federal and state campaign finance records.

Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker’s campaign has spent almost $200,000 so far during the 2022 election cycle at the exclusive resort in Palm Beach, Florida: a payment of just over $135,000 in December and another of roughly $65,000 in April, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

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Former Trump White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.; and former Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones have also spent campaign cash to rent space at Mar-a-Lago. All three have been endorsed by Trump.

Texas AG Ken Paxton and Rep. Jody Hice who is running for Georgia Secretary of State were the two other candidates who spent over $80,000 combined at Mar-a-Lago. David Perdue, Trump’s endorsed choice for Georgia governor spent $20,000.

The corruption is obvious. Candidates spend money at Mar-a-Lago. They become Trump favorites and get endorsements.

The graft remains the same but the location has changed from the Trump DC Hotel (RIP) to his private Florida club.

The cycle of Republicans paying Trump is likely to continue for as long as the perception exists that his endorsement has value. If Trump candidates lose, like David Perdue is about to do in Georgia, it is only a matter of time until the cash for endorsements hustle dries up.

Trump stays in politics, because it is his only way to make money, and as long as Republicans are dumb enough to pay him, the nation won’t be able to get rid of Donald Trump.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association