The latest fundraising report from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) could be a death knell for 2024 GOP presidential long shots. After a combination of poor fundraising numbers and low approval ratings amongst their constituents, many candidates find themselves facing down a formidable deficit they cannot make back at this stage of the game.
According to the ballot tracking website, Open Secrets, some prominent presidential aspirants have failed to bring in enough money to even remain viable contenders for the White House. For instance, former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was only able to raise $19,000 while Florida Senator Marco Rubio was able to pull in only $56,000.
This is especially mortifying when compared to other candidates like former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who raised $8.3 million, and Vice President Mike Pence, who raised a staggering $82 million for his own presidential run. So what’s behind the campaign finance catastrophe?
Part of it could be the slim chance of the candidate actually being able to secure their party’s nomination. It’s been well documented that not only have the Republican party’s primary voting rules made it difficult for a grassroots candidate to make an impact, but it is also quite difficult for newcomers to break through the crowded field of hopefuls.
In addition, according to reports, many of the very wealthy donors who typically make up a large portion of the donor pool for a presidential frontrunner are instead working to help select more mainstream contenders this time around.
Another factor could be the lack of enthusiasm for many of these candidates from the Republican base. Scott Walker’s approval rating hit a record low of just 33 percent between March of 2018 and July of 2019, and according to FiveThirtyEight, Marco Rubio’s national favorability is also sinking.
Ultimately, the FEC fundraising report could spell the end of the road for these GOP presidential longshots. And while the path to victory may still be possible for some, the odds of success are rapidly diminishing for those at the back of the pack.