But isn't that true about Presidential primaries, too? Primaries (even Romneys) are never run on the candidate's check book. Hasn't Trump's whole point been that the system is broken, that there are too many special interests influencing politicians, etc? So, how is "As anyone who has been in politics . . . " a defense to this?
I guess the difference between the PRIMARY and the General election skipped your notice.
Must have skipped Trump's notice, too: Donald J. Trump - Self Funded Campaign
Here's what he said:
"I'm doing one thing that I don't know that I get much credit for, but I must say, a lot of people do like it. I'm self-funding. I'm putting up my own money. I don't have special interests telling me, 'here's money, Donald, and by the way, I hope you remeber me in two years when I need something.' We're going to do the right thing for the people of this country, for the first time maybe in many, many decades. We're self-funding the campaign. No special interests. No donors. No lobbyists telling me they need help with lumber, they need help with electric, they need help with pharmaceuticals. We're going to do the right thing. It's costing me a tremendous amount of money. Spending a lot of time. But it's costing a lot of money. It's something I don't know that I'm given proper credit for it. But you know what, I feel better about it. Because nobody has me. I'm working for you. I'm not working for anybody else."
Did he say anything limiting that to the primary? No.
Do his arguments apply equally to the primary and the general? Of course.
So, applying his logic, if he seeks out donations for the general, will he have people who want him to remember them when they need something? Will he have lobbyists asking him if they need help with lumber, electric, pharmaceuticals, etc.? Will somebody "have" him? Will he be working for somebody else?
Seems that way to me.
“Do his arguments apply equally to the primary and the general? Of course.”
Even more so. Because in general GOPe itself will be funding him. BEHOLDEN