Small groups of “bundlers” — who raise money from their own larger networks of donors — are getting briefings from the governor’s advisers and having dinner with DeSantis and his wife, Casey DeSantis, according to four people familiar with the meetings, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private interactions. The gatherings are a chance for DeSantis to build relationships and introduce his likely campaign staff, one of the people said, while another said they help address a “supply and demand” challenge of DeSantis’s national tour the past few months — too little time to sit down with everyone interested.
Both of these people, who also have knowledge of internal planning, said DeSantis has considered launching a presidential exploratory committee very soon as a possible first step, and allies expect an official campaign announcement by June. Many supporters are eager for DeSantis to dive into the race quickly after a difficult period in which DeSantis has fallen further behind former president Donald Trump in polls of the Republican race, as Trump has relentlessly attacked him. The governor has drawn GOP criticism for policy moves and his comments on the war in Ukraine, and some Republicans have complained that he is too impersonal in his interactions.
Terry Sullivan, who was campaign manager for Sen. Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential bid, suggested “unrealistic expectations” have hurt DeSantis and said he has “a lot of money in the bank and a good story to tell” in a campaign. “He’s still got the best shot to beat Donald Trump out of anybody in the field,” said Sullivan, who is neutral in the race.
Beyond building relationships with donors, DeSantis’s allies are seeking to introduce him to Republican primary voters on more personal and favorable terms. A super PAC supporting DeSantis, Never Back Down, has spent more than $1o million on ads over the past few weeks, according to AdImpact, which tracks political advertising — surpassing more than $9 million in total ad spending from the super PAC supporting Trump, MAGA Inc. Almost all of the $10 million has gone toward positive ads, running nationally and in early nominating states, that highlight DeSantis’s family story, his handling of the pandemic and his criticism of what he calls the “woke mob.”
Erin Perrine, the communications director for Never Back Down, said in a statement that the group is highlighting DeSantis’s personal story, from “his blue-collar roots” to his youth baseball career. She said that as “more Americans learn [DeSantis’s] story of service, family and conservative values his position strengthens even further.”
The emphasis on DeSantis’s personal side brings into focus one of the biggest question marks looming over his expected campaign. While he boasts a staunchly conservative record and a decisive reelection win, he is just starting to introduce himself to voters outside of Florida, has shown flashes of awkwardness and has come across as aloof to some donors and power brokers. He also faces an opponent in Trump who has a record of exploiting his opponents’ weaknesses in deeply personal ways.
DeSantis’s team is considering travel to multiple states in conjunction with a 2024 announcement and has discussed the possibility of an event at the governor’s old baseball field in his hometown of Dunedin, Fla., according to one of the people with knowledge of internal planning. This person added that DeSantis is unlikely to make any public moves before he acts on the budget passed this week by Florida lawmakers. On Saturday, DeSantis is slated to speak in Wisconsin at a Marathon County GOP fundraising dinner.
Representatives for DeSantis did not respond to a request for comment. NBC News first reported that DeSantis’s team was eyeing an exploratory committee, and Bloomberg News first reported that the governor’s team was discussing a 2024 announcement in Dunedin.
“We’ll get on that relatively soon,” DeSantis said when asked about his plans at a Friday news conference. “You either got to put up or shut up about that.”
Roy Bailey, who once served as Trump’s national finance co-chairman and attended a dinner with DeSantis this week, said a briefing covered the governor’s Florida record and the numbers behind his reelection last fall. Other people familiar with the gatherings said they also covered the governor’s prospects in 2024.
Bailey, who supports DeSantis for the GOP nomination, praised the governor as “the smartest and the most competent government public service executive I’ve ever seen,” and said he’s not reading too much into the national polling until DeSantis jumps into the race and has “all engines firing.”
He added, “Then if he’s polling terribly, so be it.”
Others warn that if things don’t turn around soon, they’ll grow concerned. Another DeSantis donor, speaking on the condition of anonymity to be more candid, said, “If he’s still way behind Trump after he announces then I’ll be more worried.” The donor expressed disapproval of some of DeSantis’s recent policy moves — such as his signing of a six-week ban abortion ban — but remains supportive.
DeSantis’s allies have long expected a campaign launch sometime after the end of the Florida legislative session, which concluded Friday. Aided by Republican supermajorities, DeSantis has passed almost all of his legislative priorities, racking up accomplishments he can tout in a presidential primary.
But the legislative session has also highlighted potential vulnerabilities for DeSantis. As some donors worried he went too far to the right on abortion, others criticized DeSantis’s moves to escalate his months-long fight with Disney — now the subject of dueling lawsuits. “This is a big employer inside Florida,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said recently. “I think the governor should sit down with them.”
A string of Florida Republicans in Congress recently endorsed Trump for 2024 despite outreach from DeSantis’s team, with one of them, Rep. Greg Steube, openly criticizing DeSantis as inaccessible and saying the governor didn’t call when he was seriously injured.
DeSantis sits in a clear second place to Trump in the polls, with other current and prospective candidates stuck in single digits. A late April CBS News poll found that 58 percent of likely Republican primary voters said they would vote today for Trump, while 22 percent picked DeSantis. Trump also led DeSantis by double-digits when voters were allowed to pick multiple candidates they are considering.
Generra Peck, who ran the governor’s 2022 reelection campaign, is expected to be campaign manager, according to people familiar with the roles, while Lauren Lofstrom, the finance director for Sen. Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign, will take charge of fundraising on the campaign side. Florida pollster Ryan Tyson and Dustin Carmack, a former chief to staff to DeSantis in Congress, are also advising the governor.
Never Back Down, the pro-DeSantis super PAC staffed by experienced operatives, has been promoting him and drawing a sharper contrast with his main rival. One ad that began airing this week in four early states ends with a man putting a DeSantis bumper sticker over his Trump 2016 sticker.
Another spot asked “What happened to Donald Trump?” and accused him of using the Democrats’ playbook to attack DeSantis on Social Security. Never Back Down spent less than $70,000 to air the ad, according to AdImpact.
However, the ad blitz has yet to change the dynamics of the race at the national level. Trump’s campaign this week blasted out a memo from advisers titled “DeSantis Is Burning Through Cash Just To Slide Further In the Polls.” Perrine, the spokeswoman for Never Back Down, argued that Trump’s attacks show that he fears DeSantis.
Never Back Down has raised $33 million; one megadonor, Robert Bigelow, took credit for more than $20 million of that sum. DeSantis also has more than $80 million in a state political committee, much of it left over from his gubernatorial race. Transferring that money to the super PAC for use in a federal race could prompt complaints to the Federal Election Commission, but the FEC has declined to punish similar moves.
The super PAC has also started to respond to other 2024 rivals. One video recently ridiculed “Mickey Haley” after declared presidential candidate Nikki Haley criticized DeSantis’s feud with Disney, which last year opposed Republican-led legislation to restrict school discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation.
