North Dakota governor and GOP presidential candidate Doug Burgum is offering $20 gift cards to 50,000 people who will donate just $1 to his campaign.
The fundraising strategy would position the billionaire to qualify for the August debate stage, where candidates have to receive 40,000 donors, though there are other polling requirements and a loyalty pledge candidates must sign.
While admitting the fundraising strategy would bring the Republican closer to reaching the debate stage, his team also said the move would help Americans hurting under “Bidenflation.”
“Doug knows people are hurting because of Bidenflation and giving Biden Economic Relief Gift Cards is a way to help 50,000 people until Doug is elected President to fix this crazy economy for everyone,” spokesperson Lance Trover said. “It also allows us to secure a spot on the debate stage while avoiding paying more advertising fees to social media platforms who have owners that are hostile to conservatives.”
There is debate, however, over the legality of what Burgum is doing:
“It sounds like this candidate is using these individuals as straw donors to make it look like he has a bunch of campaign donors when in fact, he’s coaxing these contributions by reimbursing donors out there money that really, at the end of the day, is the candidate’s money,” Ryan said.
Even though Burgum’s campaign finance report would be expected to include the gift cards as expenses, it would not be clear which donors were “legitimate” and which were reimbursed via a gift card, Ryan noted.
But Saurav Ghosh, director of federal campaign finance reform at the Campaign Legal Center, said that the reimbursed offered to donors differed from the typical straw donor context, where the donor is used to conceal the original source of funds.
“Campaigns generally have a tremendous amount of flexibility as far as how they spend their money,” Ghosh said.
Campaigns have long offered non-cash incentives, such as yard signs, books and other merchandise, in exchange for donations. (Politico)
Yes, 50,000 people will actually get a Visa or Mastercard gift card to their mailing address. When it comes to providing economic relief to the American people, I'm not messing around!
— Doug Burgum (Text "DOUG" to 70177) (@DougBurgum) July 10, 2023
Burgum isn't the only candidate getting creative. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is promising to pay supporters who help raise funds 10 percent of any money they bring in for his campaign.
A small oligopoly of political fundraisers is already making an ungodly amount of $$ on this election. It’s disgusting. I’m breaking up that cartel. Today we’re launching the Vivek Kitchen Cabinet: starting today, *anyone* can fundraise for the Vivek 2024 campaign & make a 10%… pic.twitter.com/k2y9ZL8WPe
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 10, 2023
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