- Gov Ron DeSantis’s committee raised $3.6 million in June, adding to the group’s total of more than $105 million
- DeSantis’ campaign account holds $6.6 million, according to the most recent financial documents
- DeSantis holds a vast financial advantage over gubernatorial opponents Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried
- Crist, who has seen consecutive $1 million months, holds a large fundraising lead of his own over Fried
Friends of Ron DeSantis, the Political Action Committee of Gov. Ron DeSantis, brought in $3.61 million between June 1 and June 24, according to recent financial reports. DeSantis’ war chest of fundraising continues to far surpass his gubernatorial opponents, having added another $10 million in each of May and April, long surpassing the $100 million mark.
DeSantis’ largest donors in the June window include Florida Care Inc. ($400,000), Cannae Holdings ($250,000), former Illinois Governor and businessman Bruce V. Rauner ($200,000), and businessman Craig C. Mateer ($100,000).
DeSantis is unmatched, not just within Florida, but nationwide in his fundraising totals. The governor’s fundraising wealth puts him as the number one fundraiser in state politics in the 2022 election cycle so far.
Amassing more than $111 million total between Friends of Ron DeSantis and his campaign account at the end of May, the governor’s top donors include the Republican Governors Association ($6,600,000), CEO of Citadel LLC. Kenneth C. Griffin ($5,000,000), and WeatherTech founder David F. MacNeil ($800,000). DeSantis also received $500,000 from the Republican Party of Florida.
DeSantis’ eclipsing of $111 million is such an astounding total that the next highest fundraising total for a governor up for reelection in 2022, Texas’ Greg Abbott, reported collecting $44,778,653, less than half of that of DeSantis.
Needless to say, DeSantis has a significant advantage over Democrat opponents Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried.
Crist in April was the first Democratic primary candidate to bring in more than $1 million in a single month, repeating the feat again in May and indicating that he may be gaining statewide traction.
Crist in May raised $517,490 for Friends of Charlie Crist, the Representative’s political fundraising group, which now holds more than $4.5 million on hand, according to Division of Elections documents.
Fried continues to lag in fundraising, raising just $107,667 in May for her own political committee. Fried, who presently serves as the state Commissioner of Agriculture, raised $194,861 for her campaign account, just surpassing $300,000 for the month.
Fried, however, isn’t worried about losing the monetary battle, according to a publication on her campaign website.
“First of all, fundraising metrics aren’t the metrics that I believe a campaign is geared on. But we certainly are meeting all of our goals every single month,” said Fried.
While Fried trails behind Crist in most meaningful voting demographics, she is still within reach to make a comeback. Banking on a progressive voting bloc turnout, younger voters could push her through the Primary.
Lev Parnas, the cash mule for Russian oligarch Andrey Muraviev is serving 20 months for giving dark money to republicans in the 2018 campaign. DeSantis is one of many that took money and hasn’t been investigated or charged, why not?