Mike Pence’s presidential campaign is running on fumes, reporting just $1.2 million cash on hand and more than $600,000 in debt.
The former vice president raised $3.3 million in the third quarter, he reported Sunday. He has given himself $150,000 — a significant figure for a politician who has spent much of his life having never amassed much wealth, and one that far exceeds the less-than-six-figure salary he earned when he was Indiana governor less than a decade ago.
The dismal fundraising report reflects the lack of traction Pence has gained in the GOP primary. And it could get worse. Pence’s campaign has not yet said whether he’s amassed enough donors to qualify for the third debate in Miami on Nov. 8.
A Pence ally granted anonymity to assess the campaign frankly said he plans to stay in the race despite what this person said was a “brutal” fundraising quarter for Pence.
On Thursday, reports of a bizarre mass text message to Hamilton County voters began circulating on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. The text, purportedly from “Progressive Democrats of Indiana,” asked recipients, several of whom were Jewish, to attend a “FREE PALESTINE RALLY” on Monument Circle.
When one recipient opted out, the person received an even more bizarre message back: “Hamilton County Republican GOP: You are now opted-out and will received no further messages.”
In an unusual unattributed statement responding to allegations that the text came from Hamilton County Republicans, the county party said it had “absolutely nothing” to do with a text campaign as the Progressive Democrats being circulated on social media today.” The unattributable message, somewhat ironically, went on to say: “We have been and always will be transparent in our messaging.”
County Chair Mario Massillamany told the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Peter Blanchard that he had hired a private investigator to trace the provenance of the text. He also said that the party doesn’t go by “Hamilton County Republican GOP.”
That’s not entirely true. The party is registered with the state as “the Hamilton County Republican GOP.”
In a second statement issued hours after the first, Massillamany, this time on record, said: “We didn't send it, we didn't pay for it, and we don't know who did.”
Massillamany nor the Hamilton County GOP responded to two important follow-up questions sent to them early Friday: What was the name of the PI he hired, and was it possible that volunteers or people who work with the county party or are affiliated with campaigns could have done this without his knowledge or permission?
“Taking advantage of a vicious terrorist attack with Americans being held hostage for a dirty political trick is repulsive,” said Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl. “Voters are sick and tired of petty politics that smear and divide our communities–and the GOP’s denial was laughable at best. The people of Carmel deserve leadership that is moral, ethical, and fair.
IMPORTANTVILLE TAKE: Absent legal action, it’s unlikely the identity of the person who sent this text will see the light of day.
That wasn’t the only weird thing that happened Friday. Rep. Victoria Spartz seemed to recant her support for Rep. Jim Jordan as Speaker of the House.
"Today, I voted to support Jim Jordan for speaker,” she said in statement. “He is a great American with strong conservative values, but I am not sure if he truly is the independent thinker and visionary leader we need to deliver for the American people. After witnessing all of the behind-the-scenes politics, backstabbing, undermining, top-down attitude and statements made by former Speaker McCarthy and his allies in conference today, I will have to assess on Monday if Jim is the right person who will be held accountable to the same standard as Kevin was, or just another puppet for the swamp with a better bio. I am also very disappointed that we were sent home without reconciling this issue.”
IMPORTANTVILLE SOUNDBITE
“It may be obvious in the days ahead that other campaigns have more money than ours. It is not about money, it is about votes.”
—Mike Pence
IMPORTANTVILLE READS
“Haley and Pence, headed in opposite directions, stump in NH,” by New Hampshire Union Leader’s Kevin Landrigan
Two well-known Republican candidates headed in opposite directions — former Vice President Mike Pence and ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — came to the State House Friday to officially put their names on the first-in-the-nation presidential primary ballot.
Haley, a former United Nations ambassador, has seen her standing improve in the polls after two solid debate performances, making her the current second choice, still well behind former President Donald Trump.
“We are second in New Hampshire, second in Iowa, second in South Carolina. We have one person to get past to get the job done and we’re going to do it,” Haley told reporters inside Secretary of State David Scanlan’s office.
By contrast, Pence came with his wife, Karen, to New Hampshire a day after he decided not to compete to win delegates at a caucus in Nevada next February.