Republican candidate defends cheeky Venmo notes amid conservative backlash
Congressional hopeful Michael Alfonso said the suggestive Venma captions highlighted by the DNC were jokes, turning the criticism into a fundraising appeal.
The Democratic National Committee’s FactPost page shared Venmo transactions from Republican congressional candidate Michael Alfonso that featured captions such as “The strippers” and “High supplies,” sparking online ridicule. Alfonso responded by posting the payment screenshots, claiming the notes were jokes and urging patriots to contribute any amount to his campaign, emphasizing that none of the money would go to actual strippers.
Conservatives dismissed the uproar as over-interpretation, with a editor at one outlet C.W. Cooke and Wisconsin Rep. Calvin Callahan noting the frivolous nature of Venmo notes. The a journalist at one outlet and a bureau chief at one outlet added sarcastic remarks about the “scandal.”
Alfonso’s spouse, Evita Duffy-Alfonso, mocked the left’s inability to take jokes, while the candidate, 26, moved forward in a crowded GOP primary and will meet Democrat Fred Clark in the November race. One outlet sought comment from Alfonso but received none.
Why it matters
The incident shows how minor social-media details can become political flashpoints and fundraising tools.
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