• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, October 11, 2019

The impeachment drama has set off an email frenzy. Democrats and Republicans alike are using the issue to raise funds, with subject lines ranging from “Kiss everything goodbye” to “Impeachment “WITCH HUNT” But who is doing better?

Both sides have their strong points, judging by a study from eDataSource.  

The Democrats have a wider projected reach — 16.6 million, versus 8.6 million for President Trump. But the President is getting a better read rate. 

However, the Democrats also have a lower inactivity percentage, meaning the percentage of email not opened.

eDataSource compared emails sent by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the main email channel of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and those sent by Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. 

Some of the DCCC emails went out under names other than Pelosi’s — i.e., James Carville, John Kerry, Paul Begala, Heidi Heidtkamp, or Adam Schiff.  In Trump’s case, the only exception was one email in his son Don Jr.’s name.

The DCCC sent 1,385 campaigns in the 30-day period ending on Oct. 1, although not all were related to impeachment, including 937 in the last seven days of that time-frame. 

In contrast, the Trump organization sent 127 in the 30-day period, and 38 in the last seven days.

“DCCC has twice Trump’s audience, deployed many times the number of campaigns (though not all explicitly impeachment-themed), but had a much lower read rate than Trump’s activity, and a higher spam rate," according to a blog listing the results. 

Trump’s read rate was 24.7% for the 30 days, and 23.7% for the seven days. In contrast, the DCCC had a 16.3% read rate for the longer period and 15.4% for the shorter.

However, the inactivity rate for September was 45% for the DCCC and 55% for the President.

The emails from both sides are “universally emotional,” the blog says. Subject lines fielded by the DCCC include:

Trump surging 

Trump condemned 

Excruciating loss

Begging you, (name) 

And from the Trump campaign:

What a joke

This is Un-America

First, deplorable. Now, despicable.

Quid Pro Quo Joe.

Here is an example of DCCC body copy:

“Top Democrats keep reaching out because we’re living through a pivotal moment in history.

“This week, our Democrats opened an impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump. They know it’s absolutely critical we get to the bottom of his corruption. 

“But as you read this email, Donald Trump and his Republicans are fundraising like never before, SMEARING Nancy Pelosi and doing everything they can to DEFEAT every single truth-seeking Democrat.”

From the Trump side:

“In this impeachment fight, you’re either with President Trump or you’re with Nancy Pelosi, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and their unhinged SOCIALIST MOB. (…)

“If Democrats outraise us, they will be able to dominate the airwaves with their IMPEACHMENT WITCH HUNT.” 

It’s only starting.