Trump’s LA fundraiser shows, once again, power of Southern California pocketbooks – Daily News

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On Thursday evening former president Donald Trump shoveled campaign cash in Los Angeles as he headlined the most recent in a long slew of local presidential fundraisers.

Both Los Angeles and Orange County are key targets for the Republican and Democratic campaigns, which frequently swoop into town to collect money they can take to swing states to help influence voters.

For update, see: Trump talks landslides, calls California “a mess” at Rancho Palos Verdes press conference

Since February, there have been more than a dozen campaign fundraisers in the two counties headlined by some of the biggest names in presidential politics — President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.

“Like all good shoppers, sometimes you’ve got to go to the ATM more than once and if you’re a good candidate running for president, you’ve come to L.A., which is the nation’s ATM, more than once,” said Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo.

So far this election cycle, individual California donors have contributed more than $88 million to the Harris campaign and over $32 million to the Trump campaign, according to federal election committee data. In L.A. County, Harris has raked in over $22 million and Trump over $6 million.

This data reflects individual donations up to the $3,300 contribution limit and does not reflect the many millions that Southern California donors have also given to political action committees.

And while the Golden State is a Democratic stronghold, it is still home to plenty of wealthy Republican donors who are more than happy to open their homes, and pocketbooks, to representatives of the Trump-Vance campaign.

“As blue as California is, don’t forget there are over 1 million Republicans in Los Angeles County,” said Tim O’Reilly, chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County. “There’s a very strong conservative influence here.”

Thus far, Trump has collected around $6 million in Orange County and Harris has collected around $4 million.

Last week Vance spoke at fundraisers in San Diego County and Los Angeles. In July, Trump made a fundraising swing through Beverly Hills and Newport Beach and is back in town this week for more.

“Even though California is a foregone conclusion, we are the ATM for national campaigns,” said Matt Jarvis, an associate professor of political science at Cal State Fullerton. “And Orange County, despite being much more purple than it used to be, is still a place where Republicans come to raise money. You’ve still got that Orange County Republicanism here.”

Indeed, Newport Beach’s 92660 ZIP Code is one of the biggest funders of the Trump campaign out of any ZIP in the nation. Individuals residing in 92660 have contributed more than $415,000 to Trump’s 2024 campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data through July 31.

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