How Much Money Did Ron DeSantis Spend in His Battle Against Trump?
TL/DR –
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida spent over $160 million on a failed presidential bid, making it one of the most expensive in modern Republican primary elections. The bulk of the spending was executed by Never Back Down, DeSantis’s main super PAC, which was supposed to be his secret weapon against Donald Trump, but ended up creating tensions and negative news stories. Despite an ambitious voter outreach plan and donations to supportive elected officials, DeSantis’s costly campaign produced minimal results leading to his early departure from the race.
DeSantis’s $160 Million Campaign: An Insight into Its Expenditure
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s failed presidential bid is among the most expensive in modern Republican primary elections, costing over $160 million, a staggering sum detailed in Federal Election Commission filings.
DeSantis and his associated super PACs were free-spending, directing $53 million through firms controlled by Jeff Roe, the influential Republican strategist and top advisor to Never Back Down, DeSantis’s primary super PAC. Other significant expenditures included $31.3 million on TV advertising and $3.3 million on private airfare.
Despite these expenditures, DeSantis only garnered 23,420 votes in Iowa. Of the total expenditure, $130 million was spent by Never Back Down. This super PAC pushed campaign finance law boundaries by taking an unprecedented role in managing DeSantis’s campaign, which led to tensions and negative news coverage.
Other Republican candidates also spent vast sums only to drop out. For instance, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina entered the race with $22 million, and his super PAC raised an additional $20 million. However, Scott’s funds dwindled as enthusiasm for his candidacy decreased, leading to his exit in November.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy invested $25.6 million of his personal money into his campaign but dropped out after ranking fourth in Iowa. Likewise, Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota spent $17.8 million before abandoning the race in December.
Despite the high-profile exits, DeSantis’s campaign stands out for its financial support, hype, and high poll numbers. But DeSantis’s campaign, like others, started to falter as fund-raising slowed and his poll numbers dipped. While DeSantis began the race as a favorite among many conservative donors, much of that support eventually shifted to other candidates.
While DeSantis navigated these challenges, several politicians who endorsed him were shown apparent gratitude with donations totaling over $110,000 from Great American Comeback, one of DeSantis’s committees.
In the end, despite massive expenditure and the formation of new super PACs to boost his campaign, DeSantis was forced to leave the race.
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