DeSantis raises $20 million for presidential bid

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis raised $20 million over the first six weeks of his campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

The DeSantis team announced the haul Thursday, saying it is “the largest first-quarter filing from any nonincumbent Republican candidate in more than a decade.” The campaign also pointed out the donations surpassed the $18.3 million that former President Donald Trump raised over the opening two quarters of his bid, which he announced in November.

“Joe Biden’s leftist policies are destroying the country, and Republicans are excited to invest in a winner ready to lead America’s revival,” DeSantis campaign manager Generra Peck said in a statement. “We are grateful for the investment so many Americans have made to get this country back on track.”

She added, “The fight to save it will be long and challenging, but we have built an operation to share the governor’s message and mobilize the millions of people who support it. We are ready to win.”

The Trump campaign said it is a stretch for the DeSantis camp to draw a comparison between the two candidates’ fundraising.

“DeSanctimonious’ fundraising numbers comparison is as fake as his high-heeled boots,” Trump campaign spokesman Steve Cheung said. “[Mr.] Trump raised $28.3M in his first two quarters as an announced candidate, and $35M in this most recent quarter.

“The extremely high average donation the DeSanctus camp will show indicates they’ve shot their wad with big donors, have zero traction with the Republican grassroots, and are politically dead,” he said.

Mr. DeSantis has been considered Mr. Trump’s chief rival for the nomination but has struggled to make up ground on the former president.

Mr. Trump leads Mr. DeSantis by over 30 points in national polls and by over 20 points in Iowa and New Hampshire, hosts of the opening nomination contests.

The second-quarter fundraising report covers the period from April 1 to June 30.

Mr. DeSantis entered the race on May 24.