Fundraising By Latino Dems Sees Trump Bump

Bold PAC, the campaign arm for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, has seen a significant influx of campaign cash come its way since Donald Trump began his presidential campaign. In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Bold PAC Chair Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) said that the PAC has already brought in close to $6.4 million and that they are on track to exceed $12 million for the 2018 November midterms. As a comparison, it raised $6.1 million during the 2016 election cycle -- which itself was a sixfold-plus increase from what it raised for 2014. Much of Bold PAC’s 2018 money has come in as small, online donations. CHC members credit the Trump administration and its policies for the accelerated growth. “I think we were incrementally getting bigger and bigger and I think that would have continued, but I think Trump helped accelerate [fundraising] and helped grow the list,” said Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ). PAC leadership credits the political environment as well as its growing in-house capacity -- they are in the midst of buying a headquarters and staffing up -- as reasons why the once-small group is becoming a fundraising force. Cárdenas also credits the group’s willingness to engage with candidates who may not fully stand with its tenets. “Bold PAC is watching what everybody does. We certainly would like everybody that we endorse to be 110% aligned with what Bold PAC’s values and what our tenets are, yet at the same time, Bold PAC is not going to be one of those organizations that says that, you know, you have to be 100% with us,” he said. More here.