Phil Ammann
What will be the hottest ticket to date in these early stages of the 2016 GOP presidential nomination race is to Jeb Bush’s Miami confab on April 13.
The meeting brings together a likely Bush campaign team, as well as a “thank you” to a number of high-dollar bundlers who “met or exceeded” campaign targets, reports Patrick O’Connor in The Wall Street Journal.
Of course, any meeting of this size and scope will fuel speculation that the former Florida governor – finally – is officially pulling the trigger on a White House bid.
Right now, the Bush team pushing to raise money for his two committees by the March 31 first-quarter fundraising deadline.
Although neither of Bush’s PACs are required to disclose fundraising totals, an announcement of blockbuster numbers will serve to discourage others in the potential GOP field, a strategy some Bush allies christened “shock and awe.”
In the next three months, Bush could hold as many as 60 fundraising events.
Since Bush does not hold federal office, nor is he an official candidate (yet), his super PACs can raise unlimited amounts of money, for later use on media buys and other campaign electioneering. Once he makes it official, a set of federal campaign finance restrictions kicks in.
O’Connor writes that the goal is to entice as many donors as possible to join Bush’s National Executive Committee, which asks contributors to raise $500,000 by the end of March.
Some Republican donors think a ticket to the Bush inner campaign circle will cost substantially more; and many deep-pocketed donors have been lining up with checkbooks open.
This past week, two fundraisers — in Chicago and New York – brought in more than $4 million, organizers tell the WSJ. It’s not unusual for donors to contribute $100,000 or more for a single event.
What do donors get for the big money? Access to the campaign and future events, as well as updates on the standing of the ostensible Bush White House bid.
The so-called “fulfillment event” in Miami will feature advisers and proxies of the governor, providing “inside baseball” for supporters, according to one aide.
