Freshman U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy is one of several Republican senators who have been placed front and center of the party’s fundraising efforts before next year’s presidential election.
USA Today reports that Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, says Cassidy and the other 11 Republicans who helped the GOP wrest control of the Senate from Democrats were thrust into the spotlight because of their tough races, and major donors want to get to know them.
“We found with the freshman class there’s a good bit of star power,” Wicker says. “A lot of our freshmen are doing the surrogate work for me because major donors want to get to know them.”
Cassidy, of Baton Rouge, in recent weeks has chatted with supporters on the phone, dined in New Orleans and been spotted with donors in New York City.
He and the others do not directly ask for money, but instead talk about issues important to them, which for Cassidy means talking about dyslexia, mental health and repealing the Affordable Care Act.
“(Donors) come because they want to support a conservative agenda, but they also wish to discuss that agenda,” Cassidy, a physician who defeated Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu in a contentious and costly campaign, told USA Today. “So when you go, it isn’t, ‘Hey can you support us financially?’ It’s, ‘Let’s talk about mental health.’”
Cassidy told the newspaper he also welcomes “any opportunity to make our case” to donors.
“They’re just folks who are interested in supporting conservative causes,” he says. “We’ll continue to travel the country.”
