DeSantis cuts ties with Florida PAC in closest step toward presidential bid yet
Cami Mondeaux
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has unaffiliated himself with his Florida political committee and the millions of dollars in its war chest, marking one of the last steps needed before he announces his likely presidential bid.
The website for Friends of Ron DeSantis, the political action committee used to reelect DeSantis as governor last year, underwent a rebranding on Tuesday morning to restate its core mission as “advancing the Freedom Agenda and keeping Florida free.” Most notably, the website now lists state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia as the website’s associate rather than DeSantis.
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The disassociation from the PAC marks the most imminent sign yet that a presidential announcement is coming because DeSantis has long relied on the group for political fundraising. Federal law prohibits politicians from transferring funds from state accounts to a presidential campaign one, and candidates are generally barred from raising money through their state accounts.
Instead, DeSantis could avoid scrutiny by ceding control of the state account before moving the money into a PAC that supports his candidacy.
Since its inception in early 2022, Friends of Ron DeSantis mainly raised money from donors who lived in Florida, according to public filings compiled and analyzed by Politico. 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.
Friends of Ron DeSantis 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.
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 this month. The Florida governor has already begun to ramp up travel plans and speaking engagements over the last few months in anticipation of a White House bid.
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DeSantis would be joining a crowded field of challengers that includes candidates such as Trump, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Gov. Asa Hutchinson, 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).