Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is hemorrhaging support among his wealthy donors, and it is a possible warning sign for his presidential campaign.
A Politico analysis found that of the 50 donors who donated at least $160,000 to his campaigns leading up to his 2022 gubernatorial reelection campaign, only 16, less than one-third, have given to his allied super PAC Never Back Down, while eight donors gave directly to his campaign. Larger donations go to super PACs, which have an unlimited contribution ceiling, while the total allowed to go directly to a campaign is limited.
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Of those who haven’t contributed to his presidential campaign, five have defected to another candidate. Five of those who have given to his super PAC are also giving to another Republican candidate.
Former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, one of the biggest donors to DeSantis’s 2022 campaign, has seemingly declined to back DeSantis in 2024. He appears to be favoring former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.
“I think he’s done a terrific job as governor of Florida, and I’ve been, as I think you know, a big supporter of him in that role,” Rauner said. Then, he added, “I think Nikki Haley probably has the best chance to win the general election. … I think everyone is trying to sort things out. We gotta win. We gotta win the general.”
The drop in big donors reflects the struggling nature of DeSantis’s campaign in recent months. His support in national polls has nearly halved since March, with most recent polls showing him struggling to stay above 15%. In contrast, nearly all recent polls have former President Donald Trump taking over half the Republican vote.
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Despite this, DeSantis’s campaign remains one of the most well funded, with Never Back Down having nearly $97 million on hand by the end of June.
“Ron DeSantis outraised both Biden and Trump last quarter, and we continue to see overwhelming enthusiasm from grassroots and major supporters chipping in to help our campaign,” said Andrew Romeo, a DeSantis campaign spokesman. “We look forward to continued fundraising success this quarter as we capitalize on his strong debate performance and momentum in the early states.”
