$100,000 for a yacht trip with Kari Lake, champagne, backless dresses and Trump 'sparring' with a MMA champion: Inside the $1,000-a-head Mar-a-Lago fundraiser that raised over $1million for the Senate hopeful

The champagne flowed at bars arranged around the swimming pool, a canceled TV star cracked jokes about periods and the biggest force in Republican politics pretended to spar with a mixed martial arts champion.

This is what political fundraising in 2024 looks like. 

On Wednesday evening, supporters of Kari Lake assembled at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to juice her Senate run with a cool million dollars.

Donald Trump's home is the not-so-secret fundraising weapon for Republicans locked in expensive battles, raising millions of dollars that party officials hope will not just power the former president to victory but bankroll down ballot races too. 

The contest in Arizona could determine which party controls the Senate and is shaping up to be the most expensive race in the country.

Republican Senate hopeful Kari Lake, center, posed with supporters beside the Mar-a-Lago swimming pool on Wednesday evening at a $1 million fundraising event

Attendees had to stump up $1000 just to get as far as the valet parking. Couples could buy the 'sea level experience' for $100,000, including a trip on a yacht with Lake and two nights at Mar-a-Lago.

For $50,000, you get a private dinner with Lake. 

Campaign officials said the overall haul for the night was $1 million, enough to put a decent dent in the eyewatering $7.5 million raised in the last quarter by her opponent Rep. Ruben Gallego.

Lake told DailyMail.com that winning was more about the message than the money.

'But tonight, we are setting the record for a political candidate in Mar-a-Lago history. And then I'm proud of that,' she said. 

'And it tells me that the people all around people came from Arizona from all over. And they recognise that this is a moment in our history.'

Three years after Trump was down and out, losing the 2020 election and seeing allies desert him in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the political crackle is back beneath the Mar-a-Lago palm trees.

All around, glamorous women with full lips and backless dresses rubbed shoulders with thick-bearded MAGA generals in the meme wars and Trump campaign officials. 

Palm Beach's high-proportion of billionaires makes the club a target-rich environment for politicians stumping for cash. 

Roseanne Barr delivered a crowd-pleasing turn about all-women armies and riffed on her background as a 'bitter Jew'

 

The top tickets for the event were priced at $100,000 per couple, down to $1000 per person

Ohio Republican Bernie Moreno, fresh off winning his own Senate primary last month, worked the crowd. He held his own $350,000 fundraiser here recently as he takes on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

'We have to raise a staggering amount of money,' he said. 'Sherrod Brown has gotten every special interest group that's gonna support him. 

'So we got to make sure we go out there and raise money as well.'

Among the audience was Russell Vought, a senior White House official in Trump's administration, and who is building a blueprint for a second term. 

Roger Stone, long-time rabble rouser, posed for selfies with fans and acted as M.C. introducing Roseanne Barr, one of three comedians to take the stage.

'It's time for a woman in the Senate. It's time for a woman everywhere,' she said, to roars of approval. 

'You know why? Because anything a man can do. A woman can get another man to do even better.'

The star turn was Donald Trump who delighted the audience by making an appearance

Trump's presence is a sure way to bring out supporters and donors for a big payday

For Republicans running in 2024, Mar-a-Lago offers the chance of a big payday

Her jokes delighted the audience, despite some nervous laughter when she riffed on the idea of an all-female army all on their period at the same time.

'We might win some of these damn wars for a change, you know what I mean? 

Lake has been a frequent visitor to Mar-a-Lago, setting off frequent speculation that she was angling for the role of Trump running mate.

On Wednesday evening, she took in the surroundings—from the members' patio where white hatted chefs oversaw a smoking grill to the terracotta tiles overhead.

'This is a place where MAGA comes to get excited get united, because we have seven months in front of us that are going to decide the fate of our country,' she told the audience.

'Can we save our country? I believe we can.'

As she spoke, waiting staff carried around plates stacked with grilled prawns, sliders and pink lamb chops. 

The idea for the evening was the chance to take back comedy from the left. Barr was dumped off her own show after being accused of posting racist tweets, and says she has been canceled for her conservative views. 

'We're not going to be P.C. We're not going to be woke,' she said. 'We're comedians for God's sakes.'

Lake talks to the former North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn

Table settings were decorated with cacti in a nod to Lake's home state of Arizona

The biggest cheer came when Trump arrived beside her, taking time out from his regular evening routine of DJing from his iPad at the dinner buffet.

'We don't do this too often at Mar-a-Lago, we have to be very select, very special,' he said about the fundraiser, taking on his role of flattering club host. 'And it has to be a special person, otherwise, we don't do it.'

He invited 5ft 11in mixed martial arts star Colby Covington on stage for a story about how tough guys sometimes came in short packages.

And he delighted the crowd with self-deprecating story about his age, describing how a friend from kindergarten introduced himself to his wife Melania.

'He said, "I've known your husband for 71 years," continued Trump

'I said, "You don't have to say that."

'First time ever that she's sort of like winced. She said, "I can't believe that. It sounds kind of old."

After his speech, Lake mingled with guests around the pool. The event moved indoors as darkness fell for ticketholders had stumped up the most cash.

Outside, Madison Cawthorn, the former North Carolina Congressman said the draw of Mar-a-Lago was all down to the presence of Trump, who had unleashed the MAGA movement.

'And so coming to Mar-a-Lago is great because you're just surrounded by so many like minded patriots from all across the world, all across the country, people who are successful in their own right in some way and it's just just truly incredible,' he said.