Over the weekend, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida held a three-day retreat at the Four Seasons hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, for around 150 of his top donors and supporters. The event was billed as a celebration of the “Florida blueprint” and precedes what is likely to be a presidential bid by DeSantis, potentially putting him in competition with former President Donald Trump.

Some long-time backers of Trump were among the attendees, such as Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, who appeared in a panel discussion moderated by DeSantis about the “medical establishment.” Arizona Republican Jim Lamon, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, and Mick Mulvaney, who was Trump’s acting White House chief of staff, were also seen at the retreat.

Some attendees, including Roy Bailey, a long-time Texas fundraiser who led Trump’s campaign finance committee, came from the Republican donor world. A newly-launched nonprofit group that could promote DeSantis’ policies may also benefit the Florida governor as he increases his national profile.

However, DeSantis made no mention of his potential presidential run during the retreat.

The event was capped off by DeSantis holding a panel discussion with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, and attendees included conservative commentators Ann Coulter and Dana Loesch, Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, Utah Senator Mike Lee, and 2022 Nevada Senate candidate Adam Laxalt.

The retreat coincided with other events in the Republican donor world, including a fundraiser hosted by Trump at Mar-a-Lago and a donor conference organized by GOP strategist Karl Rove in Austin, Texas.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)