What is the Make America Awesome super-PAC? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights.
Answer by Liz Mair, Strategist, Make America Awesome SuperPAC; former RNC Online Communications Director, on Quora.
Make America Awesome is a SuperPAC that some of us anti-Trump types set up in December as a vehicle to attack Donald Trump. Until very, very recently, our exclusive focus has been on simply blocking and reversing Donald Trump's political ascent -- and we've focused on dissuading those legitimately in the Trump column from actually voting/caucusing for him. We have not until recently done anything in favor of an alternative candidate, though now that it's clear that mathematically, the only remaining candidate in the race who can beat Trump is Ted Cruz, we have run a couple of ads that are explicitly pro-Cruz, also.
There are about five of us who devote significant time to the PAC-- Rick Wilson and I are the most public, but Ben Howe has increasingly been playing a big and public role.
While we're known for our hard-hitting and occasionally controversial ads, a lot of what we do is actually collating and distributing (without our fingerprints attached-- a somewhat common and highly effective political campaign practice) opposition research. Some, if not most, of the stories that have legitimately caused Donald Trump the biggest problems in recent weeks and months have been initiated by our group, which is not big or well-funded, but has a lot of staunch grassroots supporters. That is, by the way, my main line of business: My firm (Mair Strategies LLC) assembles and distributes opposition research, especially to online media, in advancing our clients' objectives (mostly corporate, trade association and charitable clients; we actually do very little political work).
I'm not sure where Make America Awesome stands in terms of overall donor numbers as of today, but offhand, I would guess it's low four-figures. All donations in excess of $200 are reported to the FEC and those records are public; very few of our donors have contributed in excess of that amount (if I had to guess, I'd say our average donation is probably $25-30), but for those who have, you can ascertain their identities by taking a look at the FEC site. We operate with a mid-five-figure budget, not a seven-figure budget, but we're very strategic, targeted, scrappy, and punch well above our weight. None of our consultants actually make money off of this or ever will, though hard expenses are covered. You can see who's involved with the PAC by looking at our expenses, which are also a matter of public record with the FEC.
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