That’s not only exponentially more than any previous former president but is also more than double the $56 million that the Republican National Committee had left in the bank at the end of last year.
The massive financial disparity between Trump and the national party committee is unprecedented. And it functions as a reminder that the Republican Party is Donald Trump right now.
Everything flows through him: money, endorsements and policy (such as it is). Trump is the sun; everyone and everything — from the RNC to congressional leaders to potential 2024 contenders — revolves around him.
Which is a scary thought for the party given Trump’s demonstrated unpredictability. Just this past weekend, he suggested that if he wins the presidency again, he would consider pardoning those arrested for the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
There’s also the fact that Trump has shown — time and time again — that he looks out for himself first, second and third. If something that is good for him also happens to be good for the broader Republican Party, that’s totally fine — but it’s simply not his first thought.
The Point: Republicans have gone in too deep with Trump to even have the possibility of walking away now. The best they can do is hang on for the ride.
