By Cameron Armour and John Hall
We have thought that something is wrong with the state of Republican digital fundraising and the way digital donors are being treated.
Evidence of this has been largely anecdotal or private and consequently easy to dismiss. So, we decided to speak with donors directly by conducting a survey and making it available here.
This survey was distributed to 50,000 individuals who have contributed online over the last 90 days and we received 1,249 responses. We are presenting the raw, un-weighted results of this survey — along with a summary and examples of responses to open-ended questions with personally identifying information removed.
The short summary is this:
Donors, many of whom are retired and on a fixed income, are under economic stress. Many donors say that they are being shamed and browbeaten into donating, and when they donate… instead of receiving recognition, they seemingly get a barrage of texts from other organizations they can’t seem to unsubscribe from. They are particularly frustrated that they can’t respond to surveys or petitions without contributing additional money.
Roughly two thirds of donors say they will not or are considering never contributing again.
The story behind how we got here is complicated. From vendor-friendly financial incentives and pricing schemes to legal loopholes to abusive content strategies… the result is a system that appears to treat donors poorly and chase them away from contributing in the future.
There are groups and agencies who are working to improve practices and those should be recognized. But based on these results we feel those conversations should continue in earnest. We hope that these survey findings further those conversations.
REPUBLICAN DONOR SURVEY
Conducted May 3–4, 2024
N=1249, active digital donors <90 day recency
Totals may not equal 100% due to rounding
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:
- Do you think America is heading in the right direction or down the wrong track?
Right direction 1%
Wrong track 99%
Unsure 0% - Do you think the economy is getting worse, better, or staying about the same?
Getting worse 95%
Getting better 1%
About the same 4%
Unsure 0% - Do you think inflation is getting worse, better, or staying about the same?
Getting worse 92%
Getting better 1%
About the same 6%
Unsure 1% - Who do you think will win the 2024 elections?
Republicans 69%
Democrats 2%
Split 7%
Unsure 21% - How close do you think the 2024 elections will be?
Very close 36%
Close 35%
Not close 18%
Unsure 11% - What issue is most important to you? (select one)
Economy 1%
Inflation 1%
Crime 1%
Immigration / Border 18%
Election Integrity 21%
Energy 16%
National Debt 8%
National Security 21%
Education 9%
Other 5% - Over the last year, have you reduced spending or had to change your life and routines as a result of the economy or inflation?
Yes (a little) 45%
Yes (a lot) 47%
No 8%
Unsure 1% - Have you reduced charitable or political giving as a result of the economy?
Yes (a little) 39%
Yes (a lot) 44%
No 16%
Unsure 1% - How often would you say you contribute to political causes and committees?
Often (3+ times annually) 73%
Occasionally (1–2 times annually) 19%
Rarely 7%
Never 1% - How many text message political fundraising solicitations do you typically receive a day?
None 1%
1–5 9%
6–10 20%
11–20 25%
20–49 25%
50+ 20% - Are you frequently receiving text messages from organizations even after you unsubscribe from them?
Yes 64%
No 15%
Unsure 21% - What do you think about surveys and petitions that require a donation in order to submit your response?
I dislike them (a lot) 70%
I dislike them 27%
I don’t mind them 1%
Unsure 1% - Have you ever been charged for donations you don’t believe you agreed to?
Yes 29%
No 51%
Unsure 20% - Do you think texts or emails that claim to have a very large ‘match’ are real or just a marketing gimmick?
Real 5%
Gimmick 38%
Mix of both 29%
Unsure 29% - Are you likely to donate to political campaigns online in the future or not?
Yes 33%
No 21%
Unsure 47% - If a campaign or group sends you a message you dislike, or sends too many messages, are you less likely to contribute to them in the future?
Yes 80%
No 10%
Unsure 10%
VERBATIM ANALYSIS:
“How do you feel about the messages you’re receiving, in terms of the content of the messages or the quantity you are receiving?”
The biggest complaint — by an overwhelming margin — is about surveys or petitions where you complete a survey and then find out you are forced to make a contribution to submit your response. Note: many of these surveys have 30+ questions and it’s disclosed you have to contribute when you reach the bottom.
- “Would answer more if contribution is not being requested.”
- “All ask for my input but having to donate each time is maddening.”
- “To answer questions, you need to donate, that’s wrong!!!!”
- “Too many!! #PayToPlaySurveys! Like I have a National Budget Income that I can pull out at will.”
- “All ask for my input but having to donate each time is maddening.”
- “You say you are not wanting money , but you always end up on Winred.”
- “I feel that my opinion is not valued and is not received without a payment(donation).”
The second most frequent issue is the volume of messages, with numerous donors reporting 100+ messages a day — to the point that it is interfering with receiving non-political messages.
- “Overwhelmed up to 120 a day and same message repetidly”
- “Same message over and over. Had 100 one day. So I quit answering any of them. Now they just make me mad.”
- “Often 5 or more of the same text within an hour or two. I receive more than 100 each day. I read one and then delete all from that area code.”
- “I am getting over 200 each day. I am overwhelmed by it. I am about ready to stop all of it.”
- “Too many 152 yesterday and multiple duplicates.”
- “Just too many. I often miss family and dr text that are important.”
Complaints about the quantity of messages received are frequently paired with receiving the same text message many times.
- “They keep sending the same texts over and over again.”
- “I sometimes get the same message from the same person from 3 different phone numbers in 20 minutes. It is redundant !! Totally inconsiderate of my time.”
- “The quantity is extremely excessive and most are multiples of same texts..it is not an effective strategy and I no longer read them. I do not feel respected.”
- “Many many duplicates, triplicates and the same duplicate and triplicate donation requests every day”
- “All the same crap. Same messages, 50 times. STOP”
Many donors have expressed that unsubscribing does not stop the messages.
- “I unsubscribe to many but they keep sending under a different name number etc.”
- “I get texts saying I’ve been unsubscribed, but I continue to get more messages from those very numbers! There should be a way to reduce the requests I get daily!”
- “Blocking and unsubscribe notices don’t work as they are ignored.”
- “I receive 200–300 texts every single day. It’s overwhelming. Even the ones I unsubscribe from, eventually come back”
- “I unsubscribe to many but they keep sending under a different name number etc.”
Many donors say that once they have contributed their data is shared with other campaigns, causing a ‘flood’ of text messages.
- “I don’t like that Winred shares my phone number and email.”
- “The minute you contribute to anyone, the flood gates open and I’m bombarded with texts from others”
- “They are using me and giving unlimited access to my contact information, making it difficult for me to find the texts from my family and friends.”
- “It is obvious that my contact info has been dispersed far and wide considering the huge number of texts I get from people I’ve never heard of!”
- “Almost sorry I started… you have given my name and contac info to DOZENS of Republicans all over the country.”
- “I think you’ve given my contact information to the world.”
Many donors call the messages ‘threatening’, ‘guilt-tripping’, ‘insulting’, ‘shaming’, ‘harassing’, ‘judgmental’, ‘scolding’, ‘condescending’, ‘degrading’, ‘hostile’ for confronting people for not contributing.
- “Don’t appreciate being insulted if I can’t respond.”
- “I’m afraid to give because then your harassment becomes worse.”
- “They will say anything to shame patriots into donating more than we give automatically every month!!! They send rude/insulting text messages when we don’t donate more!!!”
- “I am retired and don’t appreciate the texts questioning my allegiance or political positions .. I am obviously a staunch Trump supporter, and this should be obvious, yet I still receive texts questioning my loyalty.”
- “Many messages imply I want democrats to win or will be cancelled for not replying to a survey requiring a donation.”
- “I am never thanked for giving just keep being asked for more. Makes me feel bad but I refuse to let it bother me.”
- “Do not like multiple requests from same candidate but little acknowledgement of donations just threats”
Many donors expressed frustration with messages that claim they have not responded/contributed/taken an action when they have donated recently.
- “The messages are often insulting, such as: “have I changed my views, we haven’t heard from you, are you ignoring us, etc.” Never is it recognized that I donated 3 days ago.””
- “It makes me mad when messages tell me I’m not responding when I’m fact I did respond. I quit responding after that”
- “Some will try to shame you into giving after you donated recently. Others ask if you are still a Republican when you are subscribed to give a small amount each month.”
- “Rude and accusatory. I donate and then receive text messages that you haven’t heard from me and I have abandoned Trump! They make me depressed and have anxiety.”
- “I give what I can but I can’t let myself get in financial stress doing it so I delete or stop the texts a lot. In return I get mean, snarky texts accusing me of not being a patriot or “we can’t believe you, [name removed]”!”
- “Here’s where I’m frustrated…the same text being sent multiple times in one day, texts that scold me for not donating for a few days, texts that scold me for not reading the texts, and the worst one, insulting me by asking if I am now a democrat!”
Many donors express concerns that it is not clear how much they will be charged.
- “They took two one hundred dollar donations that were intended to be one dollar donations. Not good.”
- “They have made too many mistakes on the amount of my donations & is very upsetting to the point of not donating anymore!!”
- “Winred took 30.00 out of Our account . I had donated 10.00. This caused an overdraw on Our Account.. Sooo No More Contributions to Politicians.”
- “There were times when I donated a sum and later found out that I was charged more than what I filled out on the form”
- “Three times I clicked the boxes for a ten dollar donation and all three times have been charged $100.”
Many donors express concerns that it is not clear whether they are contributing one time or signing up for recurring giving.
- “It’s sketchy. You have to be super careful to make sure your donation is not being setup to be a monthly donation. It’s kinda like stuff hidden in the fine print.”
- “I had some recurring donations that being taken & I never do recurring donations & it is very hard to speak to anyone to stop it”
- “They make some of my donations monthly repeating. I did not say to repeat!!!”
- “Without my permission, they were taking monthly donations from my credit card that was impossible to unwind.”
- “I hate it. They’ve taken five donations I didn’t approve. Don’t like their tricky format.”
Many donors express concerns that it is not clear who they are contributing to.
- “Well, to be honest I thought I was donating more directly to President Trump. But didn’t read all the fine print. Then was a bit confused.”
- “I believe it’s dishonest when they say it’s for a causes or person but in the fine print the donation is actually going do a different campaign”
- “One person is advertised to get the contribution but after reading small print it’s going to someone else”
- “I suspect that my donations mighty not be going entirely, if at all, to my intended recipient.”
- “I’ve learned to read the ENTIRE message and the fine print to determine who the recipient actually is”
Additional story worth reading:
“Two days in a row I had 2000 emails and text I had to go through each one and block him when my husband says I cannot give any more money to Donations on my marriage is over. I work too hard for this marriage I’ve given out $19,000 Since the end of Covid that was my unemployment checks total and I have spent every single penny on Donations so please please please take me off your list and if I’ve got 300 email or text I have to go through in each one of them just to find my family and friends, who have texted me And they’re the ones that I don’t get to. I’m asking you please stop sending me emails. Thank you.”