A.G. Gancarski
Ron DeSantis is rejecting concerns about his campaign’s free-spending ways as “hogwash.”
Responding to a claim from a Donald Trump super PAC spox that DeSantis’ operation has “lit tens of millions of dollars on fire,” the Florida Governor told Fox News viewers that the critique was off base.
“Well, that’s a lot of hogwash first to pack into one statement. The reality is we’re laying the groundwork to be able to actually win delegates, which is what you need to do. And so you’ve got to make those investments,” DeSantis said.
“We’re the only one really doing that on the ground in places like Iowa and New Hampshire and we’re going to continue to do that. And I understand if we weren’t a threat, they wouldn’t be putting out those statements.”
DeSantis made the comments during an interview on Wednesday’s “Faulkner Focus.“
DeSantis’ burn rate is notable. He raised more than $20 million in the first six weeks of the race, with $8.2 million raised in the first 24 hours. However, he spent nearly $8 million, giving him $12.2 million on hand at the end of the second quarter. Roughly a quarter of that sum can’t be used for the Primary.
His Never Back Down super PAC spent $34 million in June, entering July with less than $100 million on hand. Its receipts were inflated by an $82 million transfer from the Governor’s former statewide political committee.
DeSantis also defended the campaign reset.
“At the end of the day, you’re looking at return on investment on everything. I set out the vision. If that vision is not realized, I make changes to be able to get us going forward.”
Among those changes: the firing of 38 staff members last month, reducing headcount from 92 employees.
DeSantis previously defended his campaign’s staffing as an alternative to “consultants.”
“Yes, some people would not have some of the people we have, but they’d also be paying a lot more money for the consultants who charge a lot,” DeSantis said last month in Utah, calling it a “different model of doing more in house than doing consultants.”
He has had to discuss the staff cuts before.
“We had a campaign for a nationwide election which will happen eventually, but that’s not how the Primaries are. So, we’re shifting resources to the early states,” DeSantis told Clay Travis last month.
15 comments
M.Mouse
August 2, 2023 at 1:28 pm
Don and Ron, sittin’ in a tree, h-i-s-s-i-n-g.
First came love,
Then came hate,
Just wait a while more
And watch them mate.
Squeeeeeaaaaaaak!
University of North Florida
August 2, 2023 at 1:34 pm
Unless your vision was spending millions of dollars the steadily decline in favorability that sentiment is clearly false.
Tjb
August 2, 2023 at 1:49 pm
Ron is becoming more delusional each passing day. He has sadly lost touch with reality, it appears that’s he would have been a incompetent attorney, now a worst accountant.
Ozempicrayron
August 2, 2023 at 3:25 pm
People are saying Ozempic makes folks crazy
My Take
August 2, 2023 at 3:37 pm
When they finally fall, will moRon and Crazy maybe blame each other?
Dont Say FLA
August 3, 2023 at 8:35 am
Just like with their bedroom disagreements, CaCa CaCa Casey will blame Rhonda, and Rhonda will blame gay trans drag queens.
Klampett C-Ment Pond
August 2, 2023 at 1:49 pm
White-trash meets free cash and the results are
THE KLAMPETTS OF TALLAHASSEE
My Take
August 2, 2023 at 3:31 pm
White-Trash Need Representation Too !
I can just see the stickers and posters
Dont Say FLA
August 2, 2023 at 2:42 pm
Rhonda’s right. This money very well spent. The more people get to know Rhonda, the more Everybody Hates Rhonda. Thanks for making that happen, Rhonda and KC!
JD
August 2, 2023 at 3:45 pm
It’s hogwash because the state is subsidizing his travel and security.
That’s BULLSH!T.
How do we know? That FOIA and the TN fender bender. Otherwise it would have been hidden from public sunshine.
Assh0les.
Tom
August 2, 2023 at 4:40 pm
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression then acceptance
Moved from denial to anger I see.
My Take
August 2, 2023 at 6:15 pm
The Angry Pipsqueak
. . . as a clever poster has branded him.
Tropical
August 2, 2023 at 10:59 pm
You might as well burn it.
You’re certainly never going to be our President.
Looking at your attitude and your troubled mind, you would never get anywhere near enough to win even if TFG flames out.
Burn it up, bully boy.
Michael K
August 3, 2023 at 7:53 am
Ron is by now an expert at washing hogs. A permanent move to Iowa is in order.
Joe
August 3, 2023 at 2:53 pm
Now begins the phase when the Tiny D campaign shifts into a full-scale grift operation, to personally enrich him and Casey and their small circle of cronies and hangers-on. This is the GQP way.
Comments are closed.