Republican megadonor Timothy Mellon has stopped giving money to Senate Republicans, a decision that reportedly stems from the chamber’s failure to pass the SAVE America Act, according to a New York Times report. The billionaire’s move leaves the Senate GOP without one of its biggest past financial backers as the party fights to defend its majority in November.
Mellon, 84, reportedly made his position plain in response to a fundraising solicitation letter, telling the sender his pockets were closed. The Times did not specify the date of that exchange. He previously gave $30 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC dedicated to electing Republican Senate candidates, in 2020.
An Outreach That Never Happened
Allies of Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) have been trying since last year to arrange a meeting between the two men, according to the report, but the sit-down never happened. The lack of a meeting underscores how far the relationship has drifted at a moment when Senate Republicans would ordinarily be consolidating support from their most reliable donors.
Mellon has not, however, cut off the broader Republican ecosystem. He has continued giving to other GOP groups, and the Times reported that his publicly disclosed contributions this cycle total about $3.1 million. That figure includes a $20 million donation to the Congressional Leadership Fund, which backs House Republicans, made in August — a contribution not yet reflected in federal filings.
The distinction matters. Mellon’s apparent freeze applies to the Senate side specifically, while his money continues to flow toward House races and other party committees. For Senate Republicans, the loss of a donor of his scale is a notable setback, even if the party’s national apparatus still holds a sizable cash advantage over Democrats.
Party Chair Projects Confidence
Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters dismissed any suggestion of trouble during a Wednesday interview with NewsNation, telling viewers the party is in a strong position.
“I would say, ‘Bet on us,'” Gruters said. “If you look at what we’ve done over the last two years, we have better candidates across the country in both the Senate and the House races, we have a lot more resources to spend.”
Gruters also pointed to President Donald Trump’s planned involvement on the campaign trail as a decisive factor.
“And then we have our secret weapon and president, Donald J. Trump, and I say that because we’re going to barnstorm the country,” Gruters said. “We’re going to do lots of rallies … and we’re going to deliver for the American people.”
Republicans Still Hold a Major Cash Edge
Whatever Mellon decides, the national party committees remain well funded. The RNC had $130 million on hand as of the end of July, compared with $16 million for the Democratic National Committee. The National Republican Senatorial Committee reported $56 million, versus $40 million for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
That gap has not gone unnoticed on the Democratic side. A North Carolina Democratic strategist told Politico in July that being heavily outspent could offset what might otherwise be a favorable political environment for Democrats.
“What is putting the House majority and the Senate majority, nationally, in danger is the Republicans’ massive stockpile of resources that they’re putting together to push back,” the strategist said.
What the SAVE America Act Fight Signals
The SAVE America Act has become a flashpoint between Senate Republicans and parts of their donor base. The bill’s failure to pass is being cited by Mellon, at least implicitly, as the reason for closing his wallet to the Senate GOP — a sign that donor expectations can harden into financial consequences when legislative priorities stall.
For Thune, who took over as majority leader, the episode is an early test of his ability to manage both a narrow chamber and the personalities who fund it. The effort by his allies to broker a meeting with Mellon, which the Times reported has been underway since last year, indicates the leadership has been aware of the problem and trying to resolve it. So far, those efforts have not produced a thaw.
Mellon’s retreat from Senate giving is also a reminder that super PAC money is not guaranteed. The Senate Leadership Fund relied heavily on Mellon in 2020, and his absence this cycle forces the group to look elsewhere as it prepares for a costly map. The party’s official committees have more cash than their Democratic counterparts, but Senate races in particular can consume enormous sums, and outside groups often make the difference in the final weeks.
Gruters’ public optimism is a standard posture for a party chairman, and it is backed by real numbers at the committee level. Whether those numbers are enough to compensate for the loss of a single nine-figure donor is the question Senate Republicans will be answering over the next several months. For now, Mellon’s money is going to the House side — and the Senate side is waiting.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-trump-billionaire-holds-back-senate-donations-over-failure-to-pass-save-america-act