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In case you missed it, the Republican primary in CD-01 is heating up over who is more loyal to the former president. Candidate Matt Mowers’s close ties to his home state of New Jersey were scrutinized before, and now, his donations from “anti-Trump” Republicans are coming under question by his fellow far-right candidates.
This morning, the New Jersey Globe reported that Mowers received $1,000 from New Jersey Republican National Committee member Bill Palatucci, who was “one of just a handful of Republican National Committee members who voted against a resolution censuring” Congresswoman Liz Cheney.
Now, fellow far-right CD-01 candidate Karoline Leavitt is calling on Mowers to return any contributions he has received from anti-Trump Republicans, including Palatucci. In 2020, Trump endorsed Mowers’s failed campaign, but he has been unable to secure Trump’s support in 2022. With Leavitt, Gail Huff Brown, and Tim Baxter all in the race, will Mowers’s kowtowing be enough to earn the failed former President’s toxic support? Given the awkward position Mowers already finds himself in between Trump/Corey Lewandowski and Chris Sununu, Mowers now finds himself in yet another GOP quarrel. Will Mowers choose his allegiance to Trump or his fellow New Jersey Republicans?
Key Excerpts:
Bill Palatucci was one of just a handful of Republican National Committee members who voted against a resolution censuring Rep. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) on Friday for their involvement in an investigation of the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Now former White House Deputy Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wants Matt Mowers, a New Jersey native, to return a $1,000 contribution he received from Palatucci and others are no longer supporting former President
“Matt Mowers should return every contribution from anyone who does not support President Trump and the America First movement, and then try running in the state that he’s actually from,” said Chris D’Anna, a spokesman for Leavitt.
Mowers has seen his old home state come through for him as he raises money for what he hopes to be a rematch with Pappas. New Jerseyans sent $182,319 to his 2020 campaign and he has brought in $81,593 from New Jersey donors in 2021, including $11,600 from former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and his wife and his check from Palatucci.
“Given that Matt Mowers has hosted more events and raised more money in his home state of New Jersey than New Hampshire, it’s great to see his hometown paper is picking up its coverage of his campaign,” D’Anna said. “Mowers’ imploding campaign has been fueled by the anti-Trump movement, including Chris Christie and high-profile donors who support Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.”
“We need more conservative fighters in the Republican Party and ZERO Republicans like Liz Cheney,” New Hampshire State Rep. Tim Baxter, a candidate in the NH-1 House primary. “I’m proud to be the only candidate running for Congress with a proven track record of fighting for the America First Agenda.”