The anti-tax, fiscally conservative group Club for Growth has invited six possible Republican presidential contenders to its annual donor retreat next month, The New York Times reports, but opted against sending an invite to former President Donald Trump.
In an interview with reporters, the group’s president David McIntosh said Trump would diminish Republicans’ chances of taking back the White House, and he hopes “to introduce Republican donors to other possibilities.”
McIntosh suggested he blames Trump for Republicans’ poor performances in the past three election cycles. He did not cite personal animosity or ideological differences, claiming only that the 45th president is too toxic for general election voters.
The prominent conservative fundraising group will hold its annual gathering next month, when potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates, minus Trump, will mingle with donors. https://t.co/nCpcwl5CqS
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) February 8, 2023
The club clashed with Trump in the 2022 midterms, often endorsing opposing primary opponents—including in Ohio, where Trump’s late campaigning for J.D. Vance helped propel Vance to victory.
McIntosh has not made an endorsement but praised Florida Governor Ron Desantis, who is among the six he invited to meet with donors. The other five are former Vice President Mike Pence, former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia. McIntosh declined to comment on whether any had accepted.
The retreat will be held in Florida where Trump now resides.
Trump responded to the Club for Growth’s snubbing on Truth Social: “The Club For NO Growth, an assemblage of political misfits, globalists, and losers, fought me incessantly and rather viciously during my presidential run in 2016. They said I couldn’t win, I did, and won even bigger in 2020, with millions of more votes than ‘16, but the Election was Rigged & Stollen. They asked to get together on Endorsements of candidates, we did, and had MANY WINS & NO losses. Relationship broke up over my Endorsement of certain great people in Alabama & Ohio. I won them all!”
🚨President Trump makes new statement on the Club for Growth. pic.twitter.com/DWDw7yulF3
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) February 7, 2023
McIntosh clashed with Trump in 2015 when then-candidate Trump called for a tax on Ford Motor Company for putting a manufacturing plant in Mexico rather than Tennessee. McIntosh claimed penalizing Ford for outsourcing American jobs would hurt the economy and cost American jobs.
Trump, in turn, called the club “a pack of thieves.”
“They [the Club for Growth] came to my office looking for money,” he told Breitbart News. “I turned them down. That’s why they’re after me.”
daniel sullivan
February 8, 2023 at 8:37 am
this group is a full disgrace to America – THEY BELIEVE IN TAKING YOUR FREEDOM AND RIGHTS FROM YOU – they want to control who they think you should vote for – abolish these commies
gvette75
February 8, 2023 at 4:07 pm
I have to agree with you on that.
Steve
February 8, 2023 at 4:10 pm
Agree, there no more Conservative that Nazi Democrats. They won’t see any funds from me, that’s for sure.
Hurricane
February 8, 2023 at 4:17 pm
All they did was invite losers to their gathering. I wouldn’t vote for anyone they chose. I have to agree with Steve and Daniel about what these excuses for Reps are.
ox
February 8, 2023 at 4:20 pm
That’s right penalizing Ford for making cars in Mexico hurt the U.S. economy. I would have done things a little different, considering the illegals have to Mexico’s Southern border to get to the U.S. I would have had the Sec. of State call in the Mexican Ambassador, and here is the deal. I f Mexico continues to allow the illegals to pass through Mexico on their way to the U.S., the U.S. is going to either Suspend NAFTA, raise the duty on Mexican imports by 100% or embargo all Mexican imports. If Ford doesn’t like it, then move their work back to the U.S. Want to see how fast Mexico gets with the program?
Nancy
February 8, 2023 at 4:26 pm
Club for Growth has always been establishment. Good that they and Trump are parting ways. They are a fraud for conservatism.
m lopez
February 8, 2023 at 4:32 pm
The club for Growth never supported Trump. Let Trump spend some of his own money. He’s already raised a fortune and he has at his disposal a personal fortune.
Tom Young
February 8, 2023 at 4:40 pm
President Trump has demonstrated that his policies work. We had tremendous economic opportunity and growth during his administration, all the while fighting the Washington establishment and his own “never Trump” republicans. The people invited to this “club for Growth” are not bad people. But none of them have been tested or delivered on the domestic and international front. President Trump has delivered and will do so again.
CPO Bill
February 8, 2023 at 4:43 pm
Maybe they will become the club for shrink!
m
February 8, 2023 at 5:27 pm
Trump can be full of himself. But, he is the only one who fights for the american public & this country. We need him to win in 2024 so he can repair the damage sick, demented, confused, angry, hate filled Biden has caused.
Daniel
February 8, 2023 at 5:41 pm
It makes sense. Trump has more than lost my support. His Gala at Mar a Lago for queers and tranny’s was over the top.
No Maggots !!
February 8, 2023 at 7:44 pm
What , there was a Fag Queen Story hour at MAL , Not Good !!
Were the Bidumbs There ?? Maybe this was a Set UP ??
CharlieSeattle
February 8, 2023 at 11:01 pm
DeSantis better blow this off.
marlene
February 9, 2023 at 4:55 am
I warned that DeSantis is a closet RINO. It’s the RINOS who support him for 2024 because they know he’s one of theirs, in order to get rid of Trump.
marlene
February 9, 2023 at 4:27 am
Club for Growth is NOT conservative. It’s a global establishment of the NWO, that includes RINOS who pretend to be conservative because they have many spots on their snakeskins. And boy do they love fooling their real conservative donors! I call them CRINOS – Conservative Republicans In Name Only.
marlene
February 9, 2023 at 5:02 am
Ron DeSantis “For a small government conservative it doesn’t get much better than back-to-back endorsements from Sen. Mike Lee and the Club for Growth” https://twitter.com/TheCalvinCooli1/status/1623025434983124992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1623025434983124992%7Ctwgr%5E968520e8c08ff3b6490172be9eae95c1ec5409b9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvaliantnews.com%2F2023%2F02%2Fclub-for-growth-snubs-trump-invites-six-other-possible-presidential-candidates%2F%5D This is why the RINOS support DeSantis. He’s always been a closet RINO.
marlene
February 9, 2023 at 5:04 am
Ron DeSantis “For a small government conservative it doesn’t get much better than back-to-back endorsements from Sen. Mike Lee and the Club for Growth” This is why the RINOS support DeSantis. He’s always been a closet RINO. His statement can be found on Twitter.
Gregory
February 9, 2023 at 3:17 pm
If Trump fails to receive the Republican nomination, I will vote Democrat and help bring this Nation to its knees. We will see who survives.
DAN SMITH SR
February 10, 2023 at 5:21 pm
5 FORMER PRESIDENTS AND 20 OR MORE YEARS >DID NOT DO WHAT TRUMP DID FOR AMERICANS IN 4 YEARS>:
I DON’T CARE WHAT ANY ONE SAYS > BUT JUST LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE FOR A SO CALLED PRESIDENT NOW>: