Republicans just lost a megadonor who plans to sit 2024 out
Let’s talk about money. Money is what Republicans are made of. I would not be surprised to see that the souls of many in the GOP are giant jingling cash dispensaries. This is because money is what fuels them. Unlike the Democrats, the whole of the republican party is based on the green. Money is their soulmate, their addiction, and their biggest weakness. And now, because of Republican incompetence, they have just a little bit less of it.
Money is Peter Thiel. Thiel is one of the biggest Republican mega-donors in the world. He basically bought JD Vance, guarding and shaping his Ohio Senatorial race. Thiel is a tech billionaire, a huge republican, and has been instrumental not just in Vance’s race but in many Republicans’ climbs to power.
And he has just delivered a message to Republicans. That message is “Up yours.” Thiel is no longer planning to fund any Republicans — at least not in the 2024 cycle.
Reportedly this is because the GOP has managed to turn off even him. The money-bags have stopped shaking and have gone into hibernation. Thiel intends to sit this one out. According to several sources, Thiel is upset at the culture wars the GOP is engaged in. Thiel is disgusted by issues of importance to Republicans, such as transgender bathrooms and stealing women’s rights.
Thiel wants the old GOP back and would like them to focus more on innovation and competition — issues the GOP has all but abandoned to go after women, beer, and the LGBTQ community. This may have been a long time coming. Thiel, in a speech in 2016, expressed his hope that the GOP would focus on economics.
Explaining that he is “proud to be gay,” Thiel emphasized the importance of economics and said fake culture wars were nothing but a distraction. And sources say Thiel has become disillusioned wit the republican platform and is stepping back from politics, at least for now.
This is a bit of a calamity for Republicans. Thiel was a huge money gift for them. He had a way of choosing candidates and putting his all into getting them where they needed to be. Not this time.
One would think Republicans would lean a lesson from this. I doubt they will, though. They’re in too deep. One knows it’s bad when Republicans start losing powerful donors who don’t try to hide their disgust at the way the party has gone. And I bet there will be plenty of more fleeing donors where that comes from.
