DeSantis Campaign’s Q3 Financial Report: Fundraising Success and Expenditure Analysis

Edward Anderson on November 27, 2023

In the third quarter, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential primary campaign demonstrated noteworthy financial activity, both in terms of fundraising and expenditures. This report delves into the details of these financial movements and their implications for the 2024 GOP primary.

Fundraising Success

During the past three months, the DeSantis campaign, along with the joint fundraising committee, Team DeSantis 2024, achieved a commendable feat by raising an impressive $15 million. This indicates substantial financial support from donors who believe in DeSantis’ candidacy.

Expenditure Breakdown

However, the campaign’s success in fundraising was balanced by its expenditures. Over the same period, approximately $11 million was spent, as revealed in Federal Election Commission records. These expenditures are crucial to understanding the campaign’s financial health and strategy.

Cash on Hand

At the end of the quarter, the DeSantis campaign reported having slightly over $12 million in cash on hand, while the joint fundraising committee disclosed approximately $2 million in cash. These figures represent the campaign’s liquidity, which plays a pivotal role in sustaining its operations and strategy.

Competitive Landscape

Despite DeSantis’ commendable fundraising, he faces significant competition within the GOP primary. Notably, former President Donald Trump, a frontrunner in the primary, and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, another Republican contender, have amassed substantial financial support, outpacing DeSantis in this regard.

Polling Challenges

Adding to the campaign’s challenges is its polling performance. DeSantis trails Trump by nearly 50 percentage points in polls of likely primary voters, according to data from Morning Consult. Overcoming this deficit will require a strategic approach and effective use of campaign resources.

High Burn Rate

A noteworthy aspect of the campaign’s financial situation is its high burn rate in the last quarter. Despite implementing reductions in campaign staff, DeSantis continued to spend at a considerable rate. The $11 million in reported spending is roughly equivalent to the amount the DeSantis campaign raised during the same period, excluding contributions from the joint fundraising committee.

Expenditure Allocation

Of the $11 million spent, a significant portion, over $10 million, went towards operational expenses, reflecting the costs associated with running a presidential campaign. This includes just over $1 million allocated to travel-related expenses, indicating the extent of the campaign’s mobilization efforts.

Private Airfare Expenses

Additionally, the DeSantis campaign reported expenditures of at least $250,000 on private airfare. This expense underscores the necessity of efficient logistics and campaign travel, an integral aspect of modern political campaigns.

In summary, the DeSantis campaign’s financial report for the third quarter illustrates successful fundraising efforts, balanced by substantial expenditures. While the campaign retains a reasonable cash reserve, it faces formidable competition within the GOP primary and polling challenges. The high burn rate is a notable factor that necessitates strategic financial management moving forward.

Donald Trump begins 2024 campaign with Waco rally

Claire Peterson on November 27, 2023

Donald Trump – Notwithstanding the criminal probes started against him, Donald Trump is proceeding with his presidential bid.

The ruling might put the United States in a political and legal dilemma.

Campaign rally

Donald Trump hosted his first official 2024 campaign event on Saturday.

During a rally in Waco, Texas, the former president raged against “prosecutorial misconduct.”

Trump has maintained his innocence during many investigations in New York, Georgia, and Washington.

Despite the lack of proof, Donald Trump claimed the investigations were politically driven attempts to sabotage his presidential bid in 2024 over the Waco rally.

“Prosecutorial misconduct is their new tool, and they’re willing to use it at levels never seen before in our country,” said Trump.

“We’ve had it, but we’ve never had it like this.”

“We must stop them and we must not allow them to go through another election where they have yet another tool in their tool kit.”

On signs raised by supporters, the words “Witch hunt” were printed.

“Our opponents have done everything they can to crush our spirit and break our will,” he said.

“But they’ve failed. They’ve only made us stronger.”

The Waco Regional Airport ceremony was reminiscent of Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, which lay the groundwork for his 2024 goal.

The location

Donald Trump’s event was held in Waco, Texas, 30 years after federal and state police assaulted the headquarters of the Branch Davidian doomsday cult in Waco.

86 individuals were killed during a 51-day siege.

For the extremist right, it has since become a symbol of government overreach.

At the event, Trump made no mention of the siege, but a spokeswoman claimed Waco was chosen due to its centralized location, allowing it to get to many Texan population centers.

“This is the ideal location to have as many supporters from across the state and in neighboring states to attend this historic rally,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Donald Trump.

Investigations

The return of Donald Trump to his favorite event raises many questions.

The court is investigating a hush money payment for a ten-year-old dispute in New York.

Similarly, Georgia is investigating his attempts to invalidate the 2020 presidential election.

Apart from Trump’s efforts to steal the 2020 presidential election, Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith is looking into concealed records discovered at his Mar-a-Lago home.

Eventually, the former president is being probed for his role in the insurgency that began on January 6, 2021.

The hush money & documents

Alvin Bragg, a Manhattan District Attorney probing Trump’s alleged participation in the Stormy Daniels hush money case, feels the investigation is reaching its conclusion.

Yet, Donald Trump predicted his arrest on the social media network Truth Social, warning that it may lead to death and destruction, which would be bad for the United States.

His former lawyer, Michael Cohen, acknowledged paying a woman $130,000 to keep the affair disguised before the 2016 election.

Trump has often denied the affair, and he reiterated his denial on Saturday night, making disparaging statements about Daniels.

Donald Trump’s defense attorney, Evan Corcoran, went before a federal grand jury in Washington on Friday.

He was supposed to offer answers on the sensitive materials investigation, which Trump failed to conceal.

As part of the criminal investigation into plots to rig the 2020 presidential election, a federal judge ordered six of Trump’s associates to appear before a grand jury.

Ron DeSantis & other leaders

Donald Trump chastised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during his address in Waco.

DeSantis appears to be exploring a presidential bid, and early surveys suggest he may be a dangerous opponent.

Trump claimed credit for Desantis’ win in the 2018 Florida governor’s race.

Despite a worse-than-expected GOP national showing, DeSantis was comfortably re-elected in 2022.

Trump said that previous Republican governors had kept Florida affluent for decades and that he deserved little credit for it.

Additionally, he stated that DeSantis was particularly forceful in terms of public safety measures during the early stages of the outbreak.

Republic executives in South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee fared better, according to the former president.

“I’m not a big fan,” Trump said about DeSantis.

“He’s a disciple of Paul Ryan. That’s why he wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare.”

Donald Trump congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping for their meeting in Moscow during the occasion.

He portrayed them as “intelligent people” debating the next century’s world order, calling it “one of the saddest things you can imagine.”

“I get along with Putin,” said Trump, revealing he regularly talked about Ukraine.

“He wanted a piece. Now, it looks like he’ll probably end up getting the whole thing.”

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Donald Trump stays as a top GOP favorite for 2024

Claire Peterson on April 3, 2023

Donald Trump — Donald Trump made history as the first president, former or current, to be charged last week.

After much deliberation, the Manhattan grand jury reached its conclusion.

This is one of a number of high-profile Trump issues.

A surprising rally

One would believe that Donald Trump’s political ambitions are jeopardized by a slew of accusations leveled against him.

Yet, many Republican leaders have refrained from attacking him.

Instead, they have targeted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the charges against Trump.

Similarly, betting markets continue to imply that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee in 2024.

Improved prospects

The indictment tipped the globe on its axis, ushering in a one-of-a-kind situation marked by altering political realities.

Donald Trump’s popularity is most likely due to three factors:

Despite the indictment hanging over his head, Trump’s polling lead in the GOP primary for 2024 has increased in the previous month.
Republicans think the inquiries are driven by politics.
Most Trump supporters are indifferent about his odds in November.

Similarly, surveys from Fox News, Monmouth University, and Quinnipiac University indicate that Donald Trump’s chances in the Republican primary are growing.

In March, Trump had a double-digit lead in surveys.

Furthermore, the former president earned an edge over his closest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has yet to launch his campaign.

In February, Trump had a 12-point lead.

Divided sentiments

The Quinnipiac poll’s results were made public last week.

Just 18% of registered Republican voters believed Trump’s claims about a New York hush money scheme were true.

58% of people thought they weren’t.

The indictment may cause a shift in thinking, but it may not be as big as it appears.

The majority of Republicans, according to the Quinnipiac survey, do not believe Alvin Bragg is objective.

Virtually every Republican (93%) and the majority of people (63%), thought his case was politically motivated.

When it comes to any indictment, Republicans appear to be on Trump’s side.

According to a recent Marist College survey, respondents thought the multiple Trump probes were justified or a “witch hunt.”

The 2020 elections

In addition to the Manhattan case, Donald Trump has been tied to the Capitol Riot.

Most Republicans believe his efforts to reverse the 2020 election result were not unlawful.

According to polls, the vast majority of Republicans feel President Trump’s actions were appropriate.

The majority of Americans thought Joe Biden won only because of voting fraud.

The bigger picture

Republicans’ notion that the cases are politically motivated is only part of the issue.

Another thing to consider is how Republicans see Donald Trump in comparison to the larger general electorate.

Republicans feel he is innocent, but his legal concerns will be a stumbling block in the general election because people believe the investigations are fair.

Polls suggest that agreement on ideology is more important than electability for Republican primary candidates.

A CNN survey found that Republicans and Republican-leaning independents preferred criticizing Biden over policy agreement by a margin of 59% to 41%.

Trump supporters were divided, with 61% believing that agreement on issues should take precedence over electability and 39% disagreeing.

The results indicate a significant shift from what occurred in the 2020 Democratic primary.

By March 2020, 73% of Biden backers had persuaded voters to choose electability above issue agreement.

In other words, Biden’s pitch to Democrats surpassed Trump’s pitch to Republicans.

A new hope

Even while most Republicans believe other possible contenders have a better chance of unseating Biden, Trump remains the favorite.

According to a February Marist survey, 54% of Republicans believe that someone other than Trump may help the Republican Party reclaim the White House in 2024.

But, Republican voters in 2023 may not have made a mistake.

Notwithstanding the expected electability challenges, Donald Trump appears to be developing a general election poll advantage against Joe Biden sooner in the 2024 cycle than he did in the 2020 cycle.

But, according to the same study, DeSantis outperforms Trump vs Biden, which is aligned with how most Republicans feel.

…

Donald Trump slumps in voter standing based on recent poll

Leah Cooper on December 19, 2022

…

Although he doesn’t have the same power as before, former president Donald Trump recently announced his bid for the presidency in 2024.

Trump’s support among voters has reportedly dropped to its lowest point in more than seven years, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday.

The poll

Only a tiny 31% of registered voters have a favorable opinion of the former US President, according to a Quinnipiac University survey.

An adverse opinion was held by 59% of poll respondents.

According to the university, Donald Trump’s rating in the study is at its lowest point since he declared his first presidential campaign in July 2015.

Independent voters believed that nothing was improving.

In contrast, only 25% of respondents endorsed Donald Trump, while 62% thought less favorably of him.

The evaluation was his lowest among the group ever since Quinnipiac published the survey in May 2015.

Trump saw a somewhat stronger showing from his fellow Republicans, who gave him 70% favorable and 20% negative votes.

Despite the significant difference, Trump’s approval rating was still at its lowest since March 2016.

One thousand four hundred fifty-six registered voters were questioned between last Thursday and this past Monday for the poll, which had a 2.6 percentage point margin of error.

“Former President Trump’s post-presidential announcement numbers are heading in the wrong direction,” said Tim Malloy, a polling analyst for Quinnipiac University.

“You would have to go back at least six years to find less support for him from Republican, independent, and American voters as a whole.”

Biden

A Quinnipiac University survey found that President Joe Biden’s job approval rating rose to its highest point since September 2021, despite being still below average.

The survey showed an improvement from the Quinnipiac poll in November, even though 43% of participants supported and 49% disapproved of Biden’s initiatives.

According to the poll, he had a 36% approval rating for his performance and a 55% disapproval rating.

President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in 2020 but hasn’t said whether he plans to run for politics again in 2024.

He did, however, promise to challenge Trump once again.

Despite his assertions, the majority of registered voters polled by Quinnipiac stated they would rather not see Trump or Biden nominated for President in 2024.

Signs

The most recent poll, by Quinnipiac, shows that following the midterm elections in November, Trump’s support is either waning or falling.

Donald Trump has recently come under criticism from his fellow Republicans due to the failure of many of the candidates he personally supported in well-known elections.

As a result, the Democrats strengthened their Senate majority during a season many expected to be favorable to the GOP.

A rising power

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been gaining support as Donald Trump’s standing is eroding.

DeSantis is a rising star in the Republican Party.

He won reelection with ease in November and built a sizable lead over Trump in the early 2024 Republican primary polls.

DeSantis held a double-digit lead over Trump among likely GOP primary voters in a Wall Street Journal poll published on Wednesday (52% to 38%).

The margin of error for the result was six percentage points, plus or minus.

DeSantis didn’t officially announce his candidacy for President, but the polls showed the outcome.

He chose to accept a second four-year term as governor.

The Florida governor was not mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in the Quinnipiac poll, either.

When questioned, a source with ties to Trump cited a recent Morning Consult poll showing Trump as the undisputed front-runner.

He received 49% of the support of potential GOP primary voters, compared to 31% for DeSantis.

Trump

So far, only Donald Trump has officially announced his bid for President in 2024.

Unfortunately, he still needs to put more effort into his campaign.

Instead, scandals and setbacks have damaged his presidential campaign.

For example, Trump posted on social media that the Constitution should be abolished to restore power.

He would later apologize for his comments.

Ye, a rapper who fell out of favor after making antisemitic remarks and identifying as a white supremacist, and Trump also had dinner together.

The former President’s first choice for the Georgia Senate, Herschel Walker, was defeated by Senator Raphael Warnock in a runoff vote in December.

In the end, two Trump Organization companies were found guilty of crimes.

This week, a New York jury found Trump’s businesses accountable for a number of infractions, including:

Tax fraud
Falsifying business records
Conspiracy

Trump was found guilty of 17 charges three weeks after announcing his bid for the presidency in 2024.

Trump said he would appeal the decision because he was unhappy with it.

“It is a continuation of the Greatest Political Witch Hunt in the History of our Country,” he wrote in a statement.

“New York City is a hard place to be ‘Trump.'”

Other notes

On Wednesday, Donal Trump hinted on social media that he would make a significant announcement on Thursday.

The article includes a video of Trump saying, “America needs a superhero.”

The movie also included a brief animation of a cartoon Trump shooting lasers out of his eyes in front of Trump Tower.

References:

Trump hits 7-year low in new national poll as Biden approval climbs

Trump Organization convicted in New York criminal tax fraud case

Ron DeSantis under investigation by Treasury Department for his migrant flights

Leah Cooper on October 31, 2022

Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey wrote a letter stating that the Treasury Department Inspector General was investigating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ flights to Martha’s Vineyard.

The September flights brought the migrants to the vineyard.

The investigation also examines whether Florida has used Covid funds to transfer migrants.

Investigation

In September, DeSantis took responsibility for two flights carrying migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.

Markey and six other Massachusetts lawmakers wrote a letter to the Treasury Department two days after the flights.

They called for an investigation into the funds used to transport the migrants.

Richard Delmar, the department’s assistant inspector general, confirmed that the regulator’s office is planning an audit of the state’s use of state and local bailout funds.

The letter

The letter that written on October 7 reads:

“We will review the allowability of SLFRF funds related to immigration generally, and will specifically confirm whether interest earned on SLFRF funds was utilized by Florida related to immigration activities, and if so, what conditions and limitations apply to such use.”

The Democratic senator welcomed the department’s decision and released a statement saying:

“For the sake of the migrants who were lured onto charter planes under false pretenses, and for the commendable Commonwealth residents who rallied together to offer support, I hope that this investigation sheds light on whether Gover DeSantis misused funds that were intended for Covid relief for Floridians.”

State program

Previous reports indicate that the flights may have exceeded the original scope of Florida’s undocumented plan.

In the months leading up to the flights, Florida drafted a tougher order for a controversial new state program to transport migrants to other states.

According to a request from contractors and program guidelines, the ultimate goal was to get foreigners who are not legally resident in the United States out of Florida.

However, the plan never materialized.

The flight

On September 14, two planes loaded 48 migrants in San Antonio, not Florida, before landing at Martha’s Vineyard.

The Vineyard is an island off the coast of Massachusetts where wealthy vacationers often spend their summers.

DeSantis’ decision to deploy the flights was part of his criticism of the federal government’s immigration and border security policies.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the migrants have filed a class action lawsuit, claiming they were tricked into boarding the flights.

Migrants were told they would arrive with housing, work and assistance in the immigration process.

However, local officials said no one at Martha’s Vineyard knew they were coming.

Reference:

Treasury Department watchdog is examining DeSantis’ flights carrying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

Ron DeSantis claims two planes of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard were his doing

Nicholas Alexander on September 19, 2022

On Wednesday night, two planes carrying migrants were dispatched to Martha’s Vineyard, causing a political debacle.

It has been revealed that the plane was dispatched by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

The move enraged Democratic politicians and sparked a desperate response from residents, leading to humanitarian assistance from residents backed by Massachusetts authorities.

DeSantis’ actions are part of a series of moves by Republican governors to protest what they see as inadequate federal efforts to secure the southern border.

Martha’s Vineyard

Martha’s Vineyard is located off the coast of Massachusetts.

It is known as a chic summer destination, especially for the wealthy who vacation here.

Martha’s Vineyard provided a rare and unexpected destination for placing migrants.

DeSantis

DeSantis was certified the day after two planes were dispatched to the island.

“We are not a sanctuary state, and it’s better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction, and yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you to be able to go to greener pastures,” said the Florida Governor.

“Every community in America should be sharing in the burdens. It shouldn’t all fall on a handful of red states.”

Rachel Rollins, an American attorney in Massachusetts, told reporters on Thursday that she would speak to Justice Department officials about DeSantis’s sending migrants to the vineyard.

Rollins said he doesn’t yet have enough information to determine whether he broke the law.

She also said that ensuring that those who arrive are treated with respect is a top priority.

The migrants

More than 50 migrants from Martha’s Vineyard who arrived at his vineyard on Wednesday were arrested, according to a Massachusetts senator, Julian Cyr.

Cyr is a Democrat representing the Vineyard.

Edgartown town administrator James Hagerty said authorities believed the migrants came from Venezuela.

A local fire chief previously said the migrants on the plane were his family of seven, and he had four children aged three to eight.

“There was no advance notice to anyone in Martha’s Vineyard or Massachusetts that these migrants were arriving to my knowledge,” said Cyr.

As city and state officials shared next steps, Cyr emphasized that the focus now is on helping migrants as they arrive.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency was established to support local response efforts and is designed to coordinate activities on the ground.

Reaction to the move

The White House and Florida Democrats are outraged at Ron DeSantis’ claim to the action.

Florida Democratic Chair Manny Diaz said:

“Even for Ron DeSantis, this is a new low. There is nothing DeSantis won’t do, and nobody that he won’t hurt, in order to score political points.”

The Democratic candidate for governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, agrees.

“This is just another political stunt that hurts our state,” he said.

“Tonight, the 4.5 million immigrants who call Florida home must be wondering if they’re next.”

Meanwhile, the White House on Thursday condemned DeSantis’ actions along with the Republican governor’s decision.

Abbott sent two buses full of migrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in the capital.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesman said migrants from the bus were safely transported to a local church.

White House Press Secretary Carine Jean-Pierre accused governors of using migrants as “political pawns.”

She denounced their actions as a “cruel, premeditated political stunt.”

Earlier this year, Arizona Republican government Doug Ducey began sending migrants to Washington.

Abbott has since expanded efforts to include New York and Chicago in similar moves.

Migrants released from state custody typically travel to other cities to complete immigration formalities.

It is unknown whether the migrants who arrived at Martha’s Vineyard knew where they were going.