In the closing days of the mid-term congressional campaigns, President Trump is scheduled to campaign against two Democratic senators whose tight re-election campaigns are being supported by credit union trade groups.

Trump plans to campaign against Democratic Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Jon Tester of Montana—making campaign appearances on behalf of their opponents just days before the Nov. 6 election.

The two senators are engaged in tight races and both seats are considered key to majority control of the Senate. CUNA's political action committee made independent expenditures on behalf of the two.

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Trump also is scheduled to campaign against other Democratic senators supported by CUNA and NAFCU.

Trump is scheduled to travel to Indiana on Friday and again on Monday in support of Republican challenger businessman Mike Braun.

In the Hoosier state, credit unions have thrown their support behind Democratic incumbent Donnelly.

CUNA announced earlier this month that it will spend $525,000 on digital advertising and direct mail supporting Donnelly, who was an early supporter of the bipartisan regulatory plan proposed by Senate Banking Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Id.) and passed this Congress.

NAFCU, which operates a much smaller political committee, has contributed $2,000 to Donnelly's campaign.

Donnelly's campaign is likely to get another shot in the arm, when former President Obama campaigns for him on Sunday.

Trump also is scheduled to make another trip to Montana to campaign for Republican challenger Matt Rosendale. Trump supposedly holds a grudge against incumbent Democrat Tester. He blames Tester for derailing his choice for Veterans Affairs secretary, Ronny Jackson earlier this year.

But CUNA has put its money on Tester, spending $250,000 on digital ads supporting his reelection effort.

NAFCU has contributed $5,000 to Tester's campaign.

Tester, like Donnelly, was an early supporter of the regulatory overhaul bill.

On Wednesday night, Trump campaigned for Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who is in a tight race with incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. CUNA has contributed $10,000 to Nelson's campaign.

And in Missouri, Trump is scheduled to make two appearances in Missouri between now and Election Day, campaigning against Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). McCaskill is locked in a tight race with Republican state Attorney General Josh Hawley. CUNA has contributed $10,000 to McCaskill's campaign.

Finally, Trump is scheduled to make an appearance in West Virginia, where Democratic incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin is facing a stiff challenge from Republican state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. CUNA has contributed $6,500 to Manchin's campaign, with NAFCU giving the Democrat $1,000.

CUNA officials said this week that they are supporting more than 388 pro-credit union candidates for the House and senate, including 48 open seat candidates and one challenger.

CUNA has said it will spend $7 million on political campaigns in this mid-term election. Documents filed with the Federal Election Commission show that CUNA spent more than $1.4 million in campaign contributions to both House and Senate candidates between Oct. 1 and Oct. 17. NAFCU spent $6,000.

Both organizations have contributed to Republicans, as well as Democrats.

Some 54% of CUNA's campaign contributions have gone to Republicans and 46% have gone to Democrats, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics. A similar analysis of NAFCU's giving showed the trade group giving 55% of its contributions to Republicans and 45% to Democrats.

Political giving by bankers has been far less bipartisan. Some 75% of the American Bankers Associations campaign contributions have gone to Republicans this year and 25% has gone to Democrats.

The ABA this week came under fire for its support of Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) who has expressed support for far-right and neo-Nazi organizations.

In a letter to the Des Moines Register, the presidents of two Iowa synagogues called for Berkshire Hathaway, AT&T and the ABA to stop contributing to King's campaign. Intel and Land O'Lakes recently announced they would stop contributing to his campaign.

And earlier this week, the National Republican Campaign Committee, the campaign arm of House Republicans, announced that it would not provide any additional support to King.

The ABA contributed $9,000 to King's campaign this year. And since 2001, the ABA has contributed $77,500 to King's campaigns, making the group King's second-largest contributor, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Two years ago, King sent a letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) asking him to request the Government Accountability Office to update a study on the credit union tax exemption. King questioned whether the lines between credit unions and other depositor institutions had become so blurred that the tax exemption was outdated.

ABA officials did not respond to a request for comment.

 

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