Vulnerable upstate and Long Island House Republicans are nervous about new Speaker Mike Johnson’s fundraising skills as they prepare for an avalanche of Democratic money to oust them from power.
Johnson was elected president last week after Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted in an internal GOP coup.
The Louisiana Republican has only held the position since 2017.
While McCarthy has been a fundraising powerhouse, drawing on decades of connections from a vast network of Republican donors, Johnson has nowhere near a comparable apparatus, a critical issue as House elections loom. 2024.
“This was one of the first concerns raised with me,” a senior official told a beleaguered New York House Republican. “McCarthy was the LeBron James of fundraising and Mike Johnson really isn’t, so how is it possible to square this circle?”
Under McCarthy’s leadership, the Congressional Leadership Fund, the SuperPAC dedicated to electing House Republicans, spent millions to get members like Reps. Mike Lawler and Marc Mollinaro across the finish line in their House races. north of the state.
While former President Kevin McCarthy has been a fundraising powerhouse, Mike Johnson has nowhere near a comparable apparatus.
After the midterm elections, McCarthy made multiple pilgrimages to his districts to personally court powerful Jewish leaders and their voting blocs.
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Long Island) and Rep. Brandon Williams (R-Syracuse) are also vulnerable.
The party has already dropped Long Island Rep. George Santos, accused of fraud, and expects the seat to return to Democrats.
President Mike Johnson must raise millions of dollars to help save vulnerable Republicans in New York City. AP
“They are extremely concerned that they will not be funded as well this cycle,” another top GOP member on the Hill said of Empire State Republicans.
Team Johnson has tried to calm nerves, assuring members and staff that it was working with Jeff Miller, a well-connected D.C. lobbyist and fundraiser known informally in D.C. as “Money Miller,” a source said.
Republicans, including Rep. Marc Molinaro, are top targets for House Democrats. AP
Miller did not respond to a Post request for comment.
The Democratic-led House Majority PAC has pledged to spend $45 million to regain seats lost in the 2022 midterm elections.
In August, House Republican conference chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) pledged to spend $100 million to save Empire State members, a figure many now doubt is achievable.
New York Representative Mark Lawler is one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the House of Representatives. AP
Democrats are also focusing on Johnson’s record, eager to portray him as a right-wing extremist in ways that would have been more difficult under McCarthy, a long-known figure.
“Republican incumbents in swing districts will find President Johnson nothing more than an albatross around their necks,” said Jay Jacobs, chairman of the state Democratic Party.
Johnson has already been criticized for previous statements condemning homosexuals.
His wife runs a Christian counseling service that compares homosexuality to bestiality and incest.
“We have never had more donors come forward to support House Republicans. We are planning multiple joint fundraising changes in New York and have millions of dollars committed to supporting our House Republican members in New York. I am incredibly grateful for President Johnson’s strong leadership and commitment to New York Republicans. We look forward to welcoming President Johnson to New York very soon! Stefanik told the Post.
President Johnson declined to comment.
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