Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida is encountering obstacles as he attempts to transition financial support from his gubernatorial donors to his 2024 presidential campaign. Of the 50 donors who contributed at least $160,000 leading up to his 2022 reelection campaign, fewer than a third have provided funds to the super PAC “Never Back Down,” which can accept unlimited contributions, as of the end of June. Eight major donors have given directly to DeSantis’s presidential campaign but not to the super PAC.

In addition, some of DeSantis’s major past donors have publicly stated that they are holding back on donating to the super PAC. For instance, Robert Bigelow, the largest individual contributor to Never Back Down and DeSantis’s 2022 reelection campaign, has expressed that he will not make further donations to the super PAC unless DeSantis adopts more moderate policies. Billionaire investor Ken Griffin, the second-largest donor to DeSantis’s 2022 campaign, has also withheld his contributions as he assesses how different candidates’ policies address the country’s challenges.

DeSantis’s decision to sign a six-week abortion ban has alienated some big donors who embrace more moderate positions on social issues. This stance, along with his high-profile dispute with Disney over gender identity and orientation discussions in schools, has raised concerns among certain donors.

Some donors have also expressed reservations about DeSantis’s positions on foreign policy, particularly his description of the Ukraine-Russia conflict as a “territorial dispute.” This has caused friction with major contributors like businessman Chris Reyes and Ken Griffin.

While DeSantis still maintains a well-funded campaign, the challenges underscore his willingness to diverge from the interests of traditional big donors, signaling a departure from the typical influence they wield in political campaigns.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)