Presidential candidates routinely use the promise of spending one on one time with their supporters as a way of generating funds. Whether it's having a beer with Elizabeth Warren or pizza with Pete Buttigieg, the move encourages supporters to donate to a campaign, and it doesn't hurt for candidates to be pictured with a gleeful supporter in an intimate setting.
So why hasn't President Donald Trump publicized the winners of the 15 contests his campaign has launched promising a meal with him?
That's the question Judd Legum of Popular Information sought to answer.
1. The Trump campaign has held 15 contests since 2018 offering the chance to win breakfast, lunch, or dinner with P… https://t.co/emdWLjn3Lx— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1572875229.0
Legum found no evidence that winners of the contests were ever actually chosen.
2. The last contest winner was supposed to have lunch a week ago in Chicago. The pool reporter with Trump that day,… https://t.co/dZXiAgK5i3— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1572875434.0
3. These kind of contests are a staple of a modern presidential campaign. Most campaigns are eager to show their ca… https://t.co/O7pa6N2ay9— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1572875625.0
4. Here is the list of every contest for a meal with Trump that the campaign has held since 2018. Even if the Tru… https://t.co/aikPBOWitl— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1572875777.0
6. Last week, I contacted @MattWolking of the Trump campaign and asked him for information about Trump's contest wi… https://t.co/2JEUjzXtOG— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum) 1572876142.0
People weren't exactly surprised that Trump would exploit the idolatrous level of support from many of his followers in order to gather information and raise more money for his reelection campaign.
@JuddLegum Remember Trump’s promise of a multimillion dollar donation to vets? He finally wrote the check after a r… https://t.co/HgHaA0T9kk— Not Donald (@Not Donald) 1572877350.0
@JuddLegum Cons.— Katie (@Katie) 1572875496.0
@JuddLegum Always scamming— slattern (@slattern) 1572876202.0
@JuddLegum Forever the grifter.— KD (@KD) 1572876471.0
Perhaps Trump will serve an eventual winner a fast food smorgasbord at the White House.