Ron DeSantis finance committees have a Florida feel
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves to the crowd as he attends an event Friday, March 10, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa. (AP Photo/Ron Johnson)

Ron DeSantis
Florida's favorite son looks to cash in on Sunshine State relationships.

With just over a month from the Iowa caucuses that may determine the future of his campaign, Gov. Ron DeSantis is rolling out national finance advisory boards and committees.

And as befits the Governor of Florida, friends from across the Sunshine State are prominently placed on both, including Capital City Consulting Co-Founder Nick Iarossi.

“I am thrilled to help lead Ron DeSantis’ National Finance Committee as we continue to work tirelessly to elect him the next President,” said Finance Advisory Board Co-Chairman Nick Iarossi.

“Ron DeSantis is a proven leader and the only candidate in this race capable of winning big for Republicans, serving two terms, and implementing the conservative policies we need to reverse our nation’s decline. The fundraising apparatus the campaign has built in the last few months has been historic, and we are excited to take it to the next level in the weeks and months ahead,” Iarossi added.

Iarossi, an ally of DeSantis since his 2018 Primary campaign for Governor, has offered valuable advice along the way, including advising the Governor to make his military service part of this campaign narrative. As DeSantis has become comfortable noting, he’s the only military veteran in the race.

Other prominent Florida names on the National Finance Advisory Board include Gay Gaines of Palm Beach, Mori Hosseini of Daytona Beach, Mike Corcoran of Odessa, and Slater Bayliss and David Browning of Tallahassee.

The National Finance Committee has even more prominent players from Florida, meanwhile, with a blend of politicos and behind-the-scenes operators, along with people who have known DeSantis before he entered politics.

Jacksonville’s Daniel Bean is an example of the latter. Bean, who was DeSantis’ former commanding officer in the Navy, has cut multiple ads endorsing him in various campaigns, including this run for the White House.

Former Senate President Bill Galvano, former Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, and former House Speaker Will Weatherford represent those one-time elected officials who are now lending their talents to the Governor’s finance committee, meanwhile.

Meanwhile, some former DeSantis appointees also made the committee cut, including Ballard Partners’ Courtney Coppola (DeSantis’ former Chief of Staff) and Dane Eagle (erstwhile Secretary of the Department of Economic Opportunity),

Other members of the finance committee from Florida include Brady Benford; Ron Bergeron; Robert BishopDavid Blumberg; Jim Bowen; Norman BramanSteve Brodie; Daryl CarterJohn Childs; Bill Cleary; Richard ColeCourtney Coppola; Hugh Culverhouse; Eddie DeBartolo; Amy Derick; Aubrey Edge; Barbara Feingold; Joe Fogg; Tom Frederick; Glen Ged; Carson Good; Gabe Groisman; John Hamlin; Jeff Hartley; George Heisel; Lin Henkel; Jim Holton; Reuben Jeffery; Charlie Johnson; David Kim; Gary Lester; Kelly Mahoney; Craig Mateer; Patrick McDowell; Nancy McGowan; Drew Meiner; Camilo Miguel; Cecil Milton; Abdol Moabery; Patrick Neal; Joe O’Brien; Sidd Pagdipati; Chuck Perdue; Nestor Plana; Moshe and Yaffa Popack; Phil Pulley; John Rood; Jared RosensteinBobby Sanchez; Brent SemblerThomas Smith; Jeff Soffer; Sandy Stilwell YoungquistDan Vallencourt; Chris Vincze; Rich Waltzer; Rick Workman; and Patrick Zalupski.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


7 comments

  • Dont Say FLA

    December 14, 2023 at 3:43 pm

    These folks must of went to Florida public schools, they are so bad at the maths.

    If Trumps wins, Trump will be serving his second term.

    That places Trump 50 points AND a Presidential term ahead of Rhonda.

    Rhonda’s people can’t even count right. What can they do right? Anything?

  • MS Rhonda

    December 14, 2023 at 3:46 pm

    Military service isn’t anything for Rhonda to boast about. They went into the military because they, with that personality, were unable to find any job, even after gradutating from both Yarvard and Hale. So they joined the military, got some legal experience there, and yet, continually sees his legislation overturned. Oh and Guantanamo Bay, of course. That’s where MS Rhonda happened.

  • Julia

    December 14, 2023 at 5:37 pm

    I just got paid 7268 Dollars Working off my Laptop this month. And if you think that’s cool, My Divorced friend has twin toddlers and made 0ver $ 13892 her first m0nth. It feels so good making so much money when other people be02 have to work for so much less.
    This is what I do…………………> > > careersrevenue123.blogspot.com

  • Sonja Fitch

    December 15, 2023 at 5:53 am

    And? Money Money Money! Folks are you listening to Desantis? Desantis lies and lies. Desantis has created more problems than solving problems . Desantis is a racist sexist bully! Lol. Yeah laughing at you wasting your money!

  • MH/Duuuval

    December 15, 2023 at 9:26 am

    If AG could get an intern, the intern could index these names against Dee’s appointees.

  • Debra

    December 15, 2023 at 9:46 pm

    DESANTIS is filled with lies. Everytime he opens his mouth it is a lie. Our SAT scores are ranked 46th in the nation. Banning books didn’t work. The Washington Post is suing him. Disney is suing him. Many Florida individuals are suing him. Do you realize he is using taxpayers money to pay his attorneys. He is using State vehicles for campaign purposes. He was in an accident using a state vehicle and was caught laughing when the out of state troopers were asking him questions. He is a dangerous pompous crass loser. Don’t vote for Desantis. He has recently lied about Covid again. Please do your research on this jackass.

Comments are closed.


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