former President TrumpDonald Trump judge dismisses challenge to Arkansas legislative maps unless DOJ joins case The memo: Risks mount for Biden as Ukraine crisis spirals aims to strengthen the former Sen. David PerdueDavid PerdueRepublicans who were spurned by Trump in the primary still embrace him. No ‘mass exodus’ but GOP sees Trump loosening grip‘s (R-Ga.) primary bid against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp
Brian KempThe Republicans spurned by Trump in the primaries are still embracing him. Raffensperger calls for additional security at polling stations in Georgia (R) with a fundraiser and at least one rally.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed that Trump will host a fundraiser for Perdue in Mar-a-Lago on March 16. The reception costs $3,000 per person to attend, and a $24,200 donation will earn attendees a photo with Trump and Perdue.
The source also confirmed that Trump will hold at least one campaign rally with Perdue in Georgia ahead of the May 24 Republican primary and that other members of the Trump family will also be promoting Perdue.
The support could be badly needed for Perdue, who launched his challenge to Kemp in December but has since found himself on the back foot in both fundraising and polls.
Kemp, who won office in 2018, has raised more than $7.4 million between July 1 and January 31 and has more than $12.7 million in the bank. Perdue, who only entered the race in early December, raised $1.1 million through Jan. 31, his campaign said in a statement. Perdue’s campaign didn’t say how much money it had in the bank at the time.
In a Quinnipiac University poll released in late January, Kemp also has a 7-point lead over Perdue among the likely primary voters.
In addition to leveraging Trump’s fundraising skills, Perdue’s fundraising gap could be narrowed after a federal judge issued an order barring Kemp from handing out money from a special leadership committee while in elementary school.
Such bodies, created by a 2020 law signed by Kemp, allow the governor and lawmakers to raise unlimited amounts of money, even during a legislative session when incumbents are prohibited from raising money for their personal campaign accounts . Perdue had sued, alleging the law gave Kemp an unfair advantage.
Trump is expected to make the primary a priority of his involvement in the 2022 election cycle after Kemp dismissed the former president’s attempts to overturn now.President Biden
Joe BidenSenate passes resolution supporting Ukraine amid invasion fears Overnight Energy & Environment – Greens target Texas Democrat over oil ties On The Money – Congress blocks government shutdown MORE‘s victory in Georgia in 2020.
Trump has been a strong supporter of Perdue, backing him in December and promoting him in a direct mail earlier this month.
In a sign of how contentious the primary will be, the Republican Governors Association released a $500,000 pro-Kemp ad earlier this month. The clip marked the first time the group sponsored a TV ad in a primary to support an incumbent facing a Republican challenger.
