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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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House Republican hopeful Karoline Leavitt admitted her campaign team has "not been paid in several weeks," during an interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Leavitt, aged 25, is hoping to become the youngest congresswoman in history by winning New Hampshire's first congressional district on Tuesday.
She is running against incumbent Democrat Chris Pappas in what polls suggest will be a very tight race.
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Appearing on Bannon's 'War Room' podcast on Monday Leavitt said: "We need everybody to vote tomorrow, we need more people to pitch in.
"My team has selflessly not been paid in several weeks, because all of our money has been going to get out the vote efforts, so these last dollars that come in will go towards paying our exceptional staff, that has been working so hard."
Leavitt's action sparked an angry backlash after a clip was shared on social media.
Producer and journalist Simon Thompson branded the move "exploitation," tweeting: "Imagine working for someone (working ... not volunteering) and then they don't pay you the money you are due AND THEN YOU KEEP WORKING FOR THEM?!?!
"A lot of people dress this stuff up as "an opportunity" but it is nothing other than exploitation. And her hot topic is inflation..."
Julia A. Pulver, a pro-choice campaigner and former Democratic Party candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives, condemned the move.
She said: "Here's another clear difference in parties: Democrats actually believe in paying people for their work.
"In all my runs, I ensured ALL my staff & vendors were paid, in full, & on time. I did not expect anyone to work for me for free. I believe in fair pay & lived out my values."
Twitter user Jamie Lawson added: "Someone running for a job that pays 6 figures is proud of the fact that she has forced her low level staffers to work without pay to make the final push toward her election."
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Leavitt has previously claimed the 2020 presidential election was "undoubtably stolen."
In a previous interview with Bannon, on July 21, 2021, Leavitt insisted Donald Trump had "absolutely" won the election which put Joe Biden in the White House.
Trump has repeatedly claimed the 2020 election was "rigged" against him, despite this claim being repeatedly rejected in court and by independent election experts.
On Monday, Trump said he would make a "very big announcement" on November 15, with some speculating he could launch a third bid for the White House.
Speaking at a rally in Ohio the former president said: "This is the year we're going to take back the House.
"We're going to take back the Senate and we're going to take back America. And in 2024, most importantly, we are going to take back our magnificent White House."
The former president also claimed America's enemies would be "afraid, unlike they are now" if he regains control over the U.S.'s arsenal of nuclear weapons.
Karoline Leavitt has been contacted for comment.
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