Public impeachment Hearings Spur Trump Reelection Fundraising

President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign raised more than $3 million on the day of the first public House impeachment hearing.

Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale announced the haul on Twitter Thursday. He says the campaign raised $3,144,257 Wednesday and now hopes to raise $5 million within a 24-hour span.

The House impeachment inquiry revolves around Trump asking the Ukraine president for a “favor” in a July phone call, which has been corroborated. On the call, Trump was seeking an investigation of Democrats and 2020 rival Joe Biden, while withholding almost $400 million in congressionaly-approved military aid, according to testimony.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) says the president’s actions amount to “bribery” for asking a favor in exchange for his releasing U.S. military aid to help the Ukraine fight Russia. Bribery is an impeachable offense spelled out in the Constitution.

Trump calls the inquiry a “hoax” and a “sham” and his campaign has argued the probe is helping him, citing a spike in contributions and enthusiasm.

Rick Gorka, a spokesman for the national Republican Party and the campaign says that pushback efforts have generated free publicity worth nearly $10 million.

He’s also reporting a surge in volunteers and says the response “we’re receiving from the field has been tremendous.”

At the same, Trump has his critics within the GOP, including those challenging his reelection.

Former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh filed Thursday for the New Hampshire presidential primary, officially giving Trump two major Republican primary challengers in the early voting state.

Walsh has centered his longshot bid squarely on Trump. He’s become a vocal critic of the president, saying Trump is unfit for the office.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld also has filed to challenge Trump in the New Hampshire primary.

Both Walsh and Weld have struggled so far to have largescale fundraising success. Another would-be primary challenger, former South Carolina governor and congressman Mark Sanford, dropped his bid Tuesday.