Staff Reports
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is in trouble due to the donations he received from his biggest donor, Robert Bigelow. The hotel magnate gave him $20 million, which is almost all of the money that his super PAC, Never Back Down, has raised since March. Despite this, Bigelow is now threatening to withdraw his support from the governor.
In an interview, Richard Bigelow, a prominent political donor, urged Republican candidate Ron DeSantis to appeal to more moderate voters. However, he noted that he was worried about DeSantis' support for a controversial abortion ban. He also said that he would like to see the candidate demonstrate his ability to raise funds independently.
The sudden withdrawal of support from prominent donors such as Robert Bigelow is a sign of the problems that have been affecting the campaign of Governor Ron DeSantis. Other prominent individuals such as Ken Griffin, Jeffrey Yass, and Andy Sabin have also decided to withdraw their financial support for the governor. This situation leaves DeSantis with little choice but to rely on other sources of funding.
DeSantis’ biggest donor just announced he is no longer giving him money now that he’s learned how extreme he is. “Extremism isn’t going to get you elected… He does need to shift to get to moderates.”
The donor, Robert Bigelow, had given $20 million.
?https://t.co/dmdSNaU5cW pic.twitter.com/6W8BrCs0Me
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) August 4, 2023
Since he announced his intention to run for office, DeSantis has struggled in the polls. Despite the various controversies surrounding Donald Trump, he still trails behind the former president by around 20 to 30 points. This situation raises questions about the campaign's viability.
Although he was initially viewed as a Trump-like candidate, DeSantis' appeal has diminished due to the recent indictments of the president. His supporters rallied around Trump, but the allegations also angered many Republicans.
If the campaign of Ron DeSantis fails to gain the necessary support, it could lead to a scenario where the president pardons himself without a strong enough case to prove his innocence. This would depend on how successful the president is in convincing enough voters to ignore the indictments.
It is still to be seen if DeSantis can regain the support of his donors. However, given the recent developments, the path ahead may be challenging for the candidate.
