Trump’s Campaign Fund and Strategy for Midterm Elections

President Trump has accumulated a $400 million campaign fund with two months remaining before the midterm elections, as indicated by Federal Election Commission filings. The president’s fellow Republicans are eager to see how these funds will be allocated. This week, Securing American Greatness, a nonprofit associated with Mr. Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., launched its first national advertisement. However, the ad primarily focuses on Mr. Trump rather than local congressional candidates. Although the money has yet to reach candidates, the president assures that it will be used to support Republican candidates he deems favorable.

Mr. Trump claims to have raised approximately $850 million and stated, before boarding Air Force One to visit South Carolina on August 21, “I will be spending a lot of that money for candidates that I think are good, Republican candidates.” He emphasizes the importance of mobilizing his base by encouraging supporters to act as if he is on the ballot. During an August 21 rally for Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina, he reiterated, “Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot. Come and vote. It’s so important.”

The super PAC, MAGA Inc., has made a substantial donation of $827,000 to Graham’s campaign. Before this, their spending in the 2026 midterm race was minimal at about $18,000. Last year, they spent around $1.7 million, and by the end of the second quarter of 2026, they had raised $401 million. The focus will remain on Mr. Trump during the upcoming GOP midterm convention in Dallas, featuring speeches and a balloon drop in a sports arena.

However, not all Republican candidates in competitive congressional races are attending the event. Florida Republican Representative Maria Salazar expressed the necessity of staying in her constituency, telling reporters, “I have to be campaigning. No one votes for me in Washington or in Dallas. I have to be in Miami.” Vice President JD Vance downplayed concerns about candidates preferring to campaign locally, stating that the key priority is to engage with and convey messages to voters.