Ron DeSantis’ committee has already raised more than $5M in May

Image via Fox News Channel.

Even ahead of any Memorial Day weekend activity, the committee supporting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reelection is reporting a huge May.

As of Thursday, Friends of Ron DeSantis pulled in $5,148,847 in fresh contributions. While that’s just over a third of the $14-million haul the committee reported in April, it’s still an enormous deposit in the account more than a year away from the General Election.

More than 2,150 donations have come to the committee as the Governor’s national profile grows and he mulls a presidential run in 2024. Of course, the state political committee by law and practical necessity will focus its efforts on 2022 and DeSantis’ reelection as Florida’s chief executive.

The money also comes before the committee has to lay down any serious expenditures. The $5.1-million intake balances against $88,763 in expenses, the bulk of which went to account and credit card fees.

Of the total contributions, $1.35 million came from a half dozen individual donors.

The largest of those came from David MacNeil, the WeatherTech founder and CEO who bought an estate in Wellington last year. He donated $500,000 to the committee.

John Childs, founder and CEO of J.W. Childs Associates, dropped in $250,000. Jupiter venture capitalist Lawrence DeGeorge wrote a $200,000 check to the committee. Copart Salvage founder Willis Johnson and Coral Gables homemaker Cirilla Milton each made $100,000 donations.

JL Holding Corp. sent $200,000 as well, the largest corporate donor in May.

But the committee also reported 1,787 donations that were for less than $1,000 this month. Those constitute just $93,853 of the total May contributions so far but show broad enthusiasm around the Governor’s reelection as well.

About 68% of the donations to the committee this month have come from individuals or entities within the state of Florida.

May, in a sense, marked the kickoff to the Governor’s race with U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, a St. Petersburg Democrat, becoming the first major challenger to officially launch a campaign. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried also teased a likely announcement on June 1.