Ron DeSantis cultivating a national army of small-dollar donors

DeSantis
More than 1,000 individual donors wrote checks in the first 16 days of June.

A committee backing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reelection raised nearly $870,000 in the first two weeks of June. Perhaps more significant, that came from nearly 1,200 different donors, including more than 1,000 individuals who gave less than $1,000.

That shows DeSantis is cultivating a base of small donors as he becomes more of a national political figure.

A look at the 1,170 donations to Friends of Ron DeSantis bears that out. More than half of the donations come from Florida sources — 730 of them.

But other states have a presence too. DeSantis held a series of fundraisers in California this month, resulting in 169 contributions from the Golden State. He also pulled in checks from 42 other states, including 24 donations from Texas; 23 from Nevada; 21 from Illinois; 19 from New York; 15 from Ohio; 14 from New Jersey; 13 each from Massachusetts and Virginia; 12 from Georgia; 11 each from Maryland and Pennsylvania; nine from Arizona; eight from Washington; seven from Colorado; six each from Michigan, North Carolina and Oregon; five from Indiana; four each from Connecticut, Louisiana and South Carolina; three each from Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho and Wisconsin; two each from Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Montana and Oklahoma; and one a piece from Delaware, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming.

Those included some sizeable checks. A $100,000 donation came from Naples real estate professional Brenda O’Loughlin, the largest donation so far this month. Cannae Holdings, a fund led by investor Bill Foley and externally managed by Trasimene Capital, gave $50,000. So did Atlanta lawyer Rahul Patel and New York real estate professional Haim Chera.

Of the total haul, $575,000 came from 22 sources who contributed five-figure amounts or greater.

But when attention turns to the number of donors, it’s clear DeSantis’ small benefactors have grown in number. Thirty-four donors wrote $1,000 checks, 32 of those individuals. Another 25 individuals gave $500. But there were 175 donors who gave donations less than $50, and 831 who gave less than $100.

That represents people who believe in DeSantis’ political future and are nowhere near maxed out on what they can give to the political committee.

DeSantis has been fundraising at a fast clip so far this year, posting a $7.5 million report for May. In April the committee raked in $14 million, which marked its best month since October 2018, when it raised $17 million. The Republican incumbent entered June with about $39 million in the bank, far surpassing the fundraising totals of his two major challengers in the 2022 gubernatorial race.

From June 1-16, the political committee tallied about $869,213.

The state committees supporting candidates for Governor have been regularly reporting donations each week on affiliated websites. Both Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and St. Petersburg U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, both Democrats, are challenging DeSantis’ reelection and have committees at work as well.

Jacob Ogles

Jacob Ogles has covered politics in Florida since 2000 for regional outlets including SRQ Magazine in Sarasota, The News-Press in Fort Myers and The Daily Commercial in Leesburg. His work has appeared nationally in The Advocate, Wired and other publications. Events like SRQ’s Where The Votes Are workshops made Ogles one of Southwest Florida’s most respected political analysts, and outlets like WWSB ABC 7 and WSRQ Sarasota have featured his insights. He can be reached at [email protected].


3 comments

  • Ron Ogden

    June 23, 2021 at 8:41 am

    “. . .national army of small-dollar donors.”
    Hmmmm. Sounds like democracy in action, Republican style.

  • Tom

    June 24, 2021 at 6:59 am

    Your dam right Ron.
    Unlike your Manchurian Dems, saluting Soros.
    Gov DeSantis is incredibly popular and his following is lengthy.

  • DIANNA DAVIS

    June 26, 2021 at 5:29 pm

    Miami surrounded by water animals
    Parkland High School murders
    Jewish Community Center Apartments Bombed
    Revoking drivers licenses county by county employees provide ample opportunity for medical and surgical treatment for PLACQUE SARS DISEASE from 1000 pound water animalsCounty by county drivers licenses are being revoked the same done New York State
    Cuz of
    Brain Chemistry changes in adults
    Will provide opportunity for
    SARS Medical and Surgical treatmentAGE 14 years old qualifications for W4 work release minor child employeement
    Then those educated on CRITICAL RACISM TEACHING are put on a
    BLACK LIST of county employees
    AND
    THEN ON A FUGITIVE LIST OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES
    Myself DIANNA DAVIS and MY COLLEAGUE LINDA DAVIS
    bothe employees of
    Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg FL
    Taught the Critical Racism teaching in Kentucky
    Now are pursued as criminals of a fugitive list as employees Saint Petersburg FL.
    ALL SADDAM HUSSEIN and OSAMA bin Laden
    Black bag and black boxes
    DISTRIBUTION SWANSON FAMILY
    KENTUCKY
    Water Gate Investigation
    Richard Nixon Frankfort Kentucky
    Security Breech family court
    Security Breech Police Department
    Security Breech PentagonStart with PINELLAS COUNTY FLORIDA
    Surrounded by 1000 pound water animals
    Provide ample opportunity for county employees to have medical and surgical treatment for PLACQUE SARS DISEASE
    County teaches wages national average
    Less that
    12,000 per year
    IN CALIFORNIA
    $$$$ 8,000 $$$
    per year
    Southern California surrounded by water animals
    Whales Manatees Sloughths

Comments are closed.


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