(PresidentialHill.com)- In recent months, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) made some new friends as wealthy supporters of former President Donald Trump helped the governor raise more than $100 million for his reelection campaign.
Trump donors are now backing DeSantis. He’s grabbed the attention of some of the nation’s wealthiest Republican donors, including those who were significant financiers of Trump’s reelection attempt.
Friends of Ron DeSantis, a political action committee working to re-elect the Governor, received more than $3.4 million from ten individuals who contributed almost $24 million to help Trump win. Most of those donors had never previously made political contributions in Florida, and those who had considerably boosted their contributions for DeSantis.
Francis Rooney (R-FL), a longstanding Republican contributor and a former congressman from Florida, said that he believes the Governor’s fundraising ability speaks for itself. He speculated that people naturally start looking elsewhere when Trump’s support among Republicans continues to decline.
DeSantis, who won re-election in November by a landslide, is the overwhelming favorite and has already amassed over $100 million in campaign contributions. DeSantis was narrowly elected in 2018. Although the donations cannot be used directly for a federal campaign, such as a presidential bid, they can be used to maintain his profile-raising efforts.
DeSantis already has the support of numerous major GOP contributors. Millionaire Ken Griffin, who founded Chicago-based Citadel LLC, gave about $5 million in the 2018 and 2022 election seasons. Griffin has also declared that he will stop endorsing or funding Trump.
With their initial donation, other significant Trump backers have started to test the waters with DeSantis.
Texas oil tycoon Kelcy Warren, who contributed $10 million to Trump’s campaign in 2020, gave DeSantis $50,000 as his first gift to the governor. In addition, Geoffrey Palmer, a developer from Los Angeles, gave DeSantis $20,000 this election season. At the same time, Larry Garatoni, an Indiana businessman who donated $500,000 to back Trump but never before to DeSantis, contributed another $35,000. He contributed $6 million to Trump’s reelection in 2020.
Rumor has it that the Florida governor was becoming increasingly unpopular in the Trump world.
According to a former presidency insider, Trump World is working extra hard to come up with ways to destroy DeSantis, “they truly loathe him.”
