According to a new report from the Kansas Reflector, in 2021 Mike Pompeo’s super PAC sent more than $2 million to Republican candidates — including some controversial contributions to a number of Republicans who’ve broken from Donald Trump and “triggered [the] ire of the former president.”
Pompeo, who loyally served for four years in Donald Trump’s cabinet, spent the majority of 2021 positioning himself as an heir apparent. However, his PAC’s recent donations reveal that the potential 2024 GOP presidential primary contender does not want to rely solely on Trump’s support.
Although it’s unclear whether Pompeo will be able to “walk a line between” Trump and establishment Republicans, his donations will surely draw the attention of the former president and potential 2024 rivals looking to sow division between the two men.
Kansas Reflector: Pompeo’s CAVPAC makes $2.2 million investment in American political landscape
By: Tim Carpenter | February 11, 2022
Key Points:
- “Former Kansas Congressman Mike Pompeo filled key roles in the administration of President Donald Trump before forming a political action committee to support conservative candidates in 2022 and potentially lay the foundation for a presidential campaign in 2024.”
- “Pompeo, who served Trump as CIA director and secretary of state, is viewed as a potential contender for the Republican presidential nomination. He’s chairman of Champion American Values PAC, or CAVPAC. It was formed one year ago and raised $3.2 million by the end of 2021.”
- “The PAC spent more than $2 million, including contributions to a handful of Republicans who triggered ire of the former president by either refusing to challenge outcome of the 2020 election or supporting President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill in 2021.”
- “It’s not clear Pompeo would seek the GOP nomination for president, Miller said, but Trump has found ways to keep potential candidates on edge. Anybody thinking about a Republican presidential bid must walk a line between not alienating Trump or his hardcore supporters and participating in the normal process of spreading endorsements and checks among candidates in the party, Miller said.”
- “‘Trump is really attacking what seems like a lot of Republicans right now over certain votes, positions or things that they did,’ Miller said. ‘It seems like a lot of the establishment types are not falling lockstep in behind Trump, but are going out of their way to praise him and not be mean about what he is doing.’”
- “‘Pompeo is an attractive GOP presidential candidate,’ Beatty said. ‘In a normal American political era, he’d be running for president full out right now.’”
Read the full report here.
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Published: Feb 14, 2022 | Last Modified: Feb 22, 2022