The political action committee funded by billionaire Elon Musk to help re-elect former US President Donald Trump is struggling in some states to hit door-knocking targets and is investigating allegations that some canvassers lied about the number of of voters contacted, according to people involved in the group’s efforts.
The difficulties, in key battleground states like Wisconsin and Nevada, come as the group, America PAC, struggles to rally voters behind the Republican nominee in the final two weeks before the Nov. 5 election. Four people involved in the group’s outreach told Reuters that managers warned investigators they were missing targets and needed to increase the number of potential voters they contacted.
Alysia McMillan, who ran the PAC in Wisconsin, said field organizers recently told campaigners there that they were falling short of daily goals and were on track to miss the ultimate goal of contacting 450,000 voters by Election Day. . In a meeting with canvassers, recorded by McMillan and reviewed by Reuters, a manager warned of the shortfall.
“We’re not going to get to 450,000, not with what we have now,” the manager said at the Oct. 8 meeting. It’s unclear how many hits Wisconsin’s teams have so far.
McMillan, who worked for two local contractors hired by America PAC to knock on voters’ doors, said she’s speaking out because she’s concerned a deficit could cost the former president a victory. “If this is not dealt with in a timely manner, this could result in a waste of time and money and risk President Trump winning the election,” he told Reuters.
McMillan said she was fired by one contractor after a dispute over her pay, but was hired by another a short time later.
A research director in Arizona said leaders there had issued similar warnings. Three other people familiar with the screening told Reuters that Chris Young, a Musk aide and longtime Republican operative, recently traveled to Nevada to check whether door-knocking signs there had been inflated by some of the workers hired by contractors. Another person briefed on the matter said America PAC is struggling to find enough people to conduct audits in other states.
A person close to America PAC’s operations said McMillan’s account of a deficit in Wisconsin is inaccurate and that the group will meet its goals. Senior executives, the person added, regularly visit field offices to check performance.
Young did not respond to a request for comment.
America PAC’s ongoing outreach relies on door-to-door efforts to persuade “low-voltage voters” — those who may support Trump but could stay home instead of voting — to vote. The project focused on battleground states where any small difference in voter turnout could win Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, in an election that polls continue to say is too close to call.
Musk, ranked by Forbes as the world’s richest man, has so far given at least $75 million to America PAC, according to federal disclosures, making the group a critical part of Trump’s bid to retake the White House. The entrepreneur behind automaker Tesla and rocket and satellite business SpaceX has they increasingly supported Republican causes. This year, the tycoon became an outspoken supporter of Trump, who said if elected he would appoint Musk to head a government efficiency commission.
Musk did not respond to a request for comment.
A spokesman for the Trump campaign declined to comment.
Despite the influx of cash, some of America PAC’s approach is plagued by disarray, people familiar with its efforts told Reuters. As with many campaigns, the group has hired contractors to conduct grassroots efforts, relying on hourly workers to knock on doors and talk face-to-face with potential voters.
Some of these workers were difficult to retain. Three canvassers, who asked not to be named, told Reuters the work was not worth it, with some contractors starting at $20 an hour. In some cases, they added, canvassers drive long distances to remote areas and are not reimbursed for gas.
In Nevada, it’s unclear whether Young’s audit concluded, reached any findings, or led to any change in America PAC’s approach. Text messages reviewed by Reuters show managers at a Nevada contractor, Lone Mountain Strategies, worried about having to fire handymen who used smartphone apps to disguise their locations and lie about the numbers of knockers.
“Our auditors keep catching people cheating,” one of the messages read. “We flushed two people today and the inspectors are going around checking the doors for flyers.”
Lone Mountain Strategies did not respond to emails or phone calls seeking comment.
America PAC recently updated its website to prominently display tradesmen wanted ads. “Pay starts at $30 per hour, with performance bonuses,” the website states.