Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has struggled to maintain his strong fundraising network as his polling numbers in the Republican presidential primary campaign dwindled in recent weeks.
DeSantis had 50 donors who gave at least $160,000 in the years leading up to his 2022 re-election as governor, but only 16 have given to his super PAC Never Back Down, according to an analysis in Politico.
Eight major donors gave to his presidential campaign but not to his super PAC, which allows for unlimited donations. Five of these donors supported rival candidates in the primary, and another five who donated to his super PAC also gave to other candidates.
One of these estranged donors, Republican former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, switched his support from DeSantis to former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who he said has a stronger chance against President Joe Biden.
“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 told Politico. “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.”
DeSantis’ support in the presidential primary has been cut in half since March 30, from 30% to 15%, according to the RealClearPolitics national average. However, the Florida governor remains in second place behind former President Donald Trump, whose support has increased to 53% as he faces several criminal charges.
According to the second quarter Federal Election Commission filings, DeSantis still has a plethora of funds, as his super PAC had nearly $97 million on hand as of the end of June. This far surpasses his opponents in the primary, according to Politico.
“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,” declared Andrew Romeo, a DeSantis campaign spokesperson. “We look forward to continued fundraising success this quarter as we capitalize on his strong debate performance and momentum in the early states.”
