The rise of former president Donald Trump in the Republican polls has garnered a lot of attention, and it has particularly worried Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis.
Trump has regained a sizable lead over his Republican rivals, showing that despite DeSantis’s early success, the GOP nomination is still his to lose. There is one area in which DeSantis still has Trump, and the rest of the field beat- Money.
19FortyFive reports that DeSantis sits on a war chest of over $110 million and has not even announced his candidacy yet.
DeSantis’s financial backing stands out compared to the other GOP candidates. To date, political phenomenon and institution Donald Trump has raised $55 million, with $18 million coming in after he declared his candidacy. DeSantis, on the other side, has grown twice as much as Trump has for every dollar Trump has spent on his campaign.
Friends of Ron DeSantis, a Florida-based PAC, has $80 million for DeSantis, leftover from his successful gubernatorial campaign (20-point victory over former Florida Governor Charlie Crist). The Florida PAC’s funds are eligible for transfer to a national PAC.
Roy Bailey, a Texas fundraiser, said if DeSantis gets in, he’ll have considerable momentum and believes “the donor class and the raiser class” will be on his side. He claims the people he talks to who are major benefactors or fund-raisers hope DeSantis enters the race. They say their financial support will follow.
DeSantis appears to have no financial difficulties, but he does have other issues, including his views on abortion and Ukraine, as well as his disagreement with Disney.
DeSantis signed a law that will make it illegal to perform most abortions in Florida after the sixth week of pregnancy. DeSantis has made his views apparent, and they threaten to fracture unity within the GOP.
Regardless, DeSantis enjoys a fortunate financial situation. While Trump is the undeniable frontrunner, DeSantis has a good chance of making things interesting.
