The political action committee funded by billionaire Elon Musk to help re-elect former U.S. President Donald Trump is facing challenges in certain swing states in meeting door-knocking targets and is investigating allegations of canvassers providing inaccurate information about the number of voters they have contacted, as per individuals involved in the group’s activities.
America PAC, the group in question, is encountering difficulties in crucial battleground states like Wisconsin and Nevada as they strive to engage voters to support the Republican candidate in the final two weeks leading up to the Nov. 5 election. Sources revealed to Reuters that the organization is struggling to meet its goals and has instructed canvassers to increase the number of potential voters they reach.
One canvasser, Alysia McMillan, who worked for the PAC in Wisconsin, mentioned that field organizers informed campaigners that they were not meeting daily targets and were at risk of falling short of the ultimate goal of contacting 450,000 voters by Election Day. In a recorded meeting with canvassers that was reviewed by Reuters, a manager acknowledged the shortfall.
“We’re not going to hit 450,000, not with what we’ve got now,” the manager stated during the Oct. 8 meeting. The current number of voter contacts made by the Wisconsin teams remains unclear.
McMillan, who was employed by two local contractors hired by America PAC for door-knocking, expressed her concerns about the potential negative impact a shortfall could have on the former president’s chances of winning the election. She stated to Reuters, “If this isn’t looked into in a timely manner, this can result in a waste of time and money and risk President Trump winning the election.”
Although McMillan mentioned that she was terminated by one contractor following a payment dispute, she was subsequently hired by another contractor.
Reports from Arizona indicated that similar warnings had been issued to canvassing teams there. Furthermore, sources disclosed that Chris Young, an aide of Musk and a longtime Republican operative, had traveled to Nevada to investigate claims of inflated door-knocking tallies by certain workers employed by contractors. The sources added that America PAC was encountering challenges in finding enough personnel to conduct audits in other states.
A source familiar with America PAC’s operations refuted McMillan’s assertion of a shortfall in Wisconsin, stating that the group is on track to meet its objectives. The source mentioned that senior operatives regularly visit field offices to assess performance.
Chris Young did not respond to requests for comment.
America PAC’s current outreach strategy revolves around door-to-door initiatives aimed at persuading “low propensity voters” – individuals who may support Trump but might abstain from voting – to cast their ballots. The focus has been on battleground states where even a slight difference in voter turnout could sway the election in favor of either Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, in a race that continues to be too close to call, according to polls.
Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual according to Forbes, has contributed at least $75 million to America PAC, as per federal disclosures, making the group a critical component of Trump’s re-election campaign. Musk, known for his ventures such as Tesla and SpaceX, has shown increasing support for Republican causes. This year, he publicly endorsed Trump, who has stated that if re-elected, he would appoint Musk to lead a government efficiency commission.
Musk did not respond to requests for comment.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign declined to provide a comment.
Despite the substantial funding, America PAC’s outreach efforts have been marred by organizational issues, as per sources familiar with the group’s activities. Similar to many campaign operations, the organization has enlisted contractors to execute grass-roots initiatives, relying on hourly workers to conduct door-knocking and engage with potential voters face-to-face.
Some workers have found it challenging to remain in their roles. Three canvassers, who chose to remain anonymous, informed Reuters that the compensation did not justify the work, with some contractors offering rates as low as $20 per hour. Additionally, the canvassers mentioned instances where they had to travel long distances to remote locations without being reimbursed for fuel.
In Nevada, the outcome of Young’s audit remains unclear, and it is unknown whether any findings have been made or if there have been any adjustments to America PAC’s outreach strategy as a result. Text messages examined by Reuters indicated that managers at one Nevada contractor, Lone Mountain Strategies, were troubled by the necessity to dismiss canvassers who used smartphone applications to falsify their locations and misrepresent their door-knocking figures.
One of the messages read, “Our auditors keep catching people cheating. We’ve fired two people today and auditors are going around checking doors for flyers.”
Lone Mountain Strategies did not respond to requests for comment via email or phone.
America PAC recently updated its website to prominently feature advertisements seeking canvassers. The site states, “Pay starts at $30 per hour, with bonuses for performance.”