DeSantis dominates cash contest but could face problems spending when campaign starts
Cami Mondeaux
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Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is dominating the field when it comes to campaign cash, far outraising his possible opponents for the GOP nomination — even before the Florida governor announces whether he intends to run for higher office.
As he prepares to enter the crowded primary field, DeSantis benefits from a total of more than $110 million coming from multiple accounts seeking to elevate the governor to the presidency, according to public filings compiled and analyzed by Politico. That sum puts DeSantis far above all other contenders, including the numbers reported by former President Donald Trump, who is largely considered the party’s front-runner.
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Friends of Ron DeSantis, the political action committee used to reelect DeSantis as governor last year, has more than $80 million left over from the midterm cycle, with about $14 million of that being raised in the first three months of this year, according to filings. That money could be transferred into a federal PAC should DeSantis announce a White House run, although that move could spark complaints from his competitors.
Since its inception in early 2022, Friends of Ron DeSantis mainly raised money from donors who lived in Florida, according to the group’s filings. However, that base has grown to reach donors from across the country over the last few months as the governor eyes a presidential bid — indicating DeSantis has begun to expand his donor base outside the Sunshine State.
The group garnered dozens of out-of-state donations throughout the first four months of the year, with some individual contributions reaching $1 million or more, according to the filings. Those donations came from voters as far away as Massachusetts to California.
Never Back Down, another super PAC seeking to elect DeSantis, has raised about $33 million, sources told Politico. Meanwhile, the Republican Party of Florida transferred another $3 million to DeSantis’s campaign in February.
On top of that, DeSantis has benefited from large contributions from a number of donors, including real estate magnate Robert Bigelow, who donated $10 million to his gubernatorial account, according to filings. Wall Street billionaire Jeff Yass contributed $2.6 million to the state account.
However, more money could equal more problems once DeSantis makes his presidential ambitions official, as the Florida governor could run into some challenges using funds from his state account for his presidential campaign.
Federal law prohibits politicians from transferring funds from state accounts to a presidential one, and candidates are generally barred from raising money through their state accounts. However, DeSantis could avoid scrutiny by ceding control of the state account before moving the money into a PAC that supports his candidacy, according to Politico.
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DeSantis has not yet announced whether he plans to run for president, although he is expected to make an announcement once the Florida legislature ends its annual session in May. He’d be joining a crowded field of challengers that includes candidates such as Trump, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR), entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and conservative talk radio host Larry Elder.
Other candidates are likely to jump into the fray, including former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH).