WASHINGTON — Republicans wasted no time fundraising off Vice President Mike Pence's walkout of the Indianapolis Colts game Sunday, while Democrats are making political hay out of the cost of Pence's trip.

A fundraising solicitation sent Monday in President Trump's name to raise money for his re-election and for the national Republican Party criticized members of the San Francisco 49ers who knelt during the national anthem to raise awareness of racial inequalities in the nation.

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"Your Vice President REFUSED to dignify their disrespect for our anthem, our flag, and the many brave soldiers who have died for their freedoms," the solicitation said of Pence's decision to leave the game. "Please make a contribution of at least $5 to show your support."

Those who respond are promised to receive an "I STAND FOR THE FLAG" sticker.

The Indiana Democratic Party, meanwhile, tweeted that the price tag for Pence's "stunt" could have paid for a year of preschool for more than 50 Hoosier children.

Democrats based that $250,000 expense on CNN's estimated cost of the military plane that flew Pence to Indianapolis in between events in Nevada and California. The plane cost about $30,000 an hour to operate in 2016, according to an Air Force Cost Analysis Agency document.

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Pence's office has said cutting the Indianapolis trip out would have resulted in more air travel time because Pence would have had to fly back to Washington.

Indiana native Ron Klain, who was chief of staff to two Democratic vice presidents, said Pence's explanation ignores other costs of Pence's game attendance, including for local police and security at Lucas Oil Stadium.

"Doesn't the vice president have any real work to do?" Klain asked. "If so, perhaps he should have come back to D.C. and done some of that work, instead of staging a stunt at a Colts game."