After facing former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary, Republican governor of Florida Ron DeSantis intends to raise money for his White House campaign, three sources told NBC News.
At a private retreat on Saturday, DeSantis allegedly informed donors that he plans to assist in raising money for Trump’s campaign while standing in front of the Hollywood, Florida-based Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The gratitude retreat was for the DeSantis campaign’s main fundraisers, big contributors, and finance committee members. Florida’s First Lady, Casey DeSantis, was also there.
Roy Bailey, a businessman from Texas, co-chair of DeSantis’ national financial advisory group and retreat attendee, told CNN.
“He is determined to support Trump in any manner possible. We are eager to do all we can to help Trump win, and we will follow his lead. In order to ensure that [President Joe] Biden is not reelected, we want to and must mobilize our contributors in support of Trump and provide more gasoline to his tank.”
Bailey, having previously helped raise funds for Trump’s 2020 campaign, said:
“I am aware of DeSantis fans who want to support President Trump throughout Texas and the nation.” So I will attempt to make it happen.”
Following a turbulent primary between the two prominent Floridian politicians, it is unclear if the Trump campaign is welcoming DeSantis’ support with open arms. DeSantis endorsed the former president following his own campaign’s suspension in January.
The governor stated in his concession address,
“Despite our differences on issues like the coronavirus pandemic and Trump’s appointment of Anthony Fauci, I still think that Trump is better than Joe Biden, the incumbent. That much is evident. I promise to stick with my vow to support the Republican nominee. Because Nikki Haley symbolizes a repackaged kind of warmed-over corporatism, we cannot return to the old Republican guard of the past, which is why I support him.”
Subsequently, he recalled former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley for violating her signature on the RNC promise by declining to support Trump as the likely GOP nominee.
DeSantis stated,
“So in my case, I tell folks that I always follow through on my commitments.”
When asked if he would accompany Trump on the campaign trail in March during a press conference, DeSantis suggested that Florida was no longer a “competitive” state, stating,
“That’s just the truth—this state will not be competitive in November.” As a result, I do not believe there will be a lot of campaigning at the top of the ticket. I want to be able to assist on a national level, but I am not sure precisely how.”
The record-breaking $50 million fundraiser for the Trump 47 Committee in Palm Beach took place the same weekend as the exclusive gathering for DeSantis’ bundlers and contributors in South Florida. The Trump fundraiser brought in $26 million, almost twice as much as the Biden campaign fundraiser on March 28 in New York, which also included former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Author: Scott Dowdy
