The attention that Ukraine-Gate garnered has led to a lot of conversation. While this conversation has been beneficial to the Democrats in the short term, the Republicans are not suffering either. A general election campaign like this one is always going to hinge on fundraising. Some might have expected the Democrats to gain an advantage because of Trump’s impeachment.
In reality, the opposite has been true. The Ukraine controversy might have allowed the Democrats to feel high and mighty for a moment but it has actually galvanized the Republican base. President Trump has been able to raise a whopping $46 million in the same quarter that his impeachment is taking place. This is unprecedented.
The fourth quarter was a huge one for Trump, as his fundraising efforts dwarfed the contributions that were provided to the Democratic primary leader. The looming trial for impeachment did not cause him to lose a step and Trump’s war chest is overflowing. The number is a shocking one, especially when you stop to consider a few key facts about the fundraising efforts that previously took place.
Can you believe that it only took one quarter to raise nearly half the amount that was raised in the previous three quarters? After raising $97 million in the previous three quarters, Trump was able to reach nearly 50 percent of that total….during an impeachment proceeding, no less! It is safe to say that his base has not been disturbed by these allegations.
It seems as if they are rallying around him at the current moment and we cannot say that we blame them. The Democrats have yet to decide on their candidate and do not seem close to doing so. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has over $140 million at their disposal and a base that is not the least bit unnerved by the latest allegations against him.
They have over $100 million in cash on hand at the present moment and this is a number that should strike fear in the hearts of any Democrat who is expecting to best him in the upcoming election. Bernie Sanders may have raised $34 million within the same quarter but this is nearly 25 percent less than Trump’s total. Yang and Buttigieg came in behind Sanders, as the Democratic party struggles to zero in on a candidate.
No one can be sure that the donations are rolling in as a direct result of the impeachment but that is a tough call to make. Some of the donations may be coming in because there are some in the middle who are tired of the Democrats veering further and further left. The presidential debates may also provide various patrons with the motivation that they need to make certain financial decisions.
It is safe to say that the Democrats are not exactly providing a united front. While all of the candidates were initially offering some form of universal health care, many of them have backed away from the idea now. At the present moment, Bernie Sanders is the only Democratic candidate who is offering a full level of commitment to this policy.
Elizabeth Warren has definitely changed her tune as of late and is offering a “Blue New Deal” instead of the green one that was discussed before. Of course, Adam Schiff is displeased by these developments. Surely, he expected the impeachment proceedings to stifle Trump’s fundraising abilities. This was a reasonable expectation, to be fair. It does not make it any less wrong, though.
Why the Democrats thought that this impeachment proceeding would go their way is beyond us. Those who are level headed and willing to listen to reason saw all of the issues cropping up from the beginning. Impeachment is not some lever that can be pulled when things are not going your way. Otherwise, our government will continue to come to a screeching halt.
Public opinion has not been shifted in any meaningful way by these proceedings. The same people who were against Trump to begin with are not going to change their minds and the same goes for those who are on the other side of the aisle. The donation figures speak for themselves. Trump remains beloved and his base is more than willing to put their money where their mouths are.
In the meantime, Schiff and company are simply going to have to think of a better plan. House Democrats are going to keep voting with their wallets if their pleas are not heard. The longer they continue to cling to this tired strategy, the more their campaigns will suffer.
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