OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee went into the 2024 election cycle with a decided financial advantage over prospective GOP nominee Donald Trump and a beleaguered, depleted Republican National Committee, but the situation appears to be changing rapidly.
Trump and the RNC outraised Biden and the DNC in April, $76 million to $51 million, respectively, as the RNC, which is co-led now by Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump, appears to be gaining ground against its Democratic rival.
Biden’s reelection campaign reported having $192 million in cash-on-hand at the end of last month, a figure it described as higher than that of any Democratic candidate in history. However, this amount was approximately the same as what was reported at the end of the first quarter on March 30, indicating that the campaign might be spending funds as quickly as it is raising them, The Associated Press reported.
“April’s totals were also down sharply from March, when the president’s campaign and the DNC announced taking in more than $90 million,” the AP added.
Biden and his party have consistently out-fundraised his predecessor, but Trump’s fundraising received a significant boost in April, thanks to a record-setting $50.5 million raised during a single donor event early in the month. That event took place at the Palm Beach, Florida, home of billionaire investor John Paulson.
The event at John Paulson’s home was Trump’s response to a March fundraiser featuring former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, where Biden’s campaign raised $26 million. Looking ahead, Biden’s campaign is organizing a major fundraiser in Los Angeles next month, set to feature Hollywood stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
Trump and the GOP raised over $65.6 million in March and ended the month with $93.1 million in cash, the AP noted.
First Lady Melania Trump was back in the spotlight last month as she hosted a fundraising event for her husband’s campaign at their Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Photos posted online by Breitbart News captured several moments during the event featuring the Log Cabin Republicans, which was Melania’s first fundraiser of the cycle, including posing with group leaders Ric Grenell, Bill White, and Bryan Eure.
At the event, Grenell, who served as the former Director of National Intelligence in Trump’s administration and was the first-ever openly gay U.S. cabinet official in history, said that Trump will win the votes of gay voters in 2024.
“Donald Trump deserves our vote,” Grenell said in quotes provided to Breitbart News. “He is the best candidate for our safety, security, and prosperity. He sees you as 100 percent equal.”
At the event, Grenell also predicted that Trump, with assistance from his wife, will garner at least 50 percent of the gay vote in 2024. Eure, a prominent figure in the Log Cabin Republicans and senior vice president at Willis Towers Watson echoed that, highlighting further that gay voters are increasingly aligning with broader constituencies, focusing on issues like the economy and public safety.
“We have seen four years of President Trump and almost four years of President Biden. No person with common sense, regardless of their sexual orientation, can honestly say they’re better off now, under Biden, than they were with President Trump,” Eure said, per Breitbart. “We are so blessed to have such a gorgeous and generous first lady stand by our side.”
.@MELANIATRUMP headlined a fundraiser this weekend at Mar-a-Lago, her first solo event of the 2024 campaign. https://t.co/mAGKwwpKIg
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) April 23, 2024
White, a prominent figure within the Log Cabin Republicans and known for spearheading the initiative to establish Buckhead as an independent city separate from Democrat-run Atlanta, emphasized Melania Trump’s significance in broadening her husband’s appeal to key voter demographics across the country.
“First Lady Melania Trump is so kind and generous,” White, who is also the CEO of Constellations Group, said. “President Trump could not have a better surrogate to discuss why they are the best choice this coming November for ALL Americans. They are our best hope for our families, our livelihoods, and our safety and security.”
