Ron DeSantis raises more than $7.5 million in May for re-election

Gov. Ron DeSantis is continuing to stack up cash for his 2022 gubernatorial campaign — or whatever else he might run for.

DeSantis’ political action committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, added $7,582,350 to its bank balance. The Republican incumbent now has about $39 million cash on hand.

The total is only half of what DeSantis raised in April when he raked in $14 million, but his fundraising is still blowing both of his Democratic challengers out of the water.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist raised $1.5 million for his campaign last month. Crist told reporters, speaking at a campaign event Wednesday, he would catch up with DeSantis.

“We’ll have the resources to compete. We’ll be there,” Crist said.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the other Democratic challenger, through the end of May, had about $1.5 million in her political committee.

Florida’s media markets are notoriously expensive, which can make elections in the state quite costly. But DeSantis isn’t relying solely on Floridians to fund his reelection for Florida’s Governor. Instead the incumbent, who after many cable news appearances has become a national darling of the Republican Party, is leaning on out-of-state fundraising for his edge.

DeSantis is rounding the corner on half a dozen fundraising stops to collect money from voters not in Florida. DeSantis’ fundraising tour is expected to go through Southern California and Las Vegas. The trip kicked off in San Diego Thursday. The trip marks a pattern for DeSantis who, in previous months, fundraised in Pennsylvania and Texas.

Crist criticized DeSantis for the move, calling out the Republican for his much-talked-about presidential ambitions. Recent polling puts DeSantis leading the pack for Republican presidential candidates if former President Donald Trump steps aside.

“Instead of going to San Diego and the Northeast, wherever he’s going for his presidential run or whatever he’s doing, I’m here in Leon County. You know I was in Alachua County this morning. Later I’m going to be in Palm Beach County tomorrow morning.  You go to the people, you travel the state,” Crist said.