Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has raised $100 million in the 2022 election cycle as he gears up to face off against one of his potential Democrat challengers, likely Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL), in this year’s gubernatorial race.
DeSantis, the popular Florida governor who has taken the Sunshine State by storm, gaining significant criticism from the establishment media for prioritizing personal liberty throughout the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, has raised an estimated $100 million through Friends of Ron DeSantis, his reelection campaign. According to the Washington Examiner, this figure may have DeSantis earning the title of the “first-ever candidate in the United States to raise more than $100 million only in donations.” However, other outlets point out that former President Donald Trump continues to lead the pack in this area through his Save America PAC.
According to Ballotpedia, the Florida governor “received $109,869,159 in total contributions and spent $13,706,657 between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021,” giving him a massive war chest going into the 2022 election.
“DeSantis continues to be a top draw with the high-end dollar market,” Republican fundraiser and lobbyist David Tamasi told Fox News. “The trick will be to translate an expected November win into a monopoly.”
Recent polls show DeSantis crushing his potential Democrat challengers by double digits. Rep. Crist, who served as the Sunshine State’s governor from 2007-2011, is leading in the Democrat primary. However, recent surveys show DeSantis soundly defeating his potential challenger by double digits. A late-March Saint Leo University survey, for instance, showed DeSantis leading Crist by 16 percentage points and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) by 24 points:
DeSantis recently made waves after signing the state’s Parental Rights in Education Bill, which bars classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity for children in kindergarten through third grade. The move prompted outrage from both of his potential Democrat challengers, as Crist called it a “grim day for Florida.” Fried also encouraged people to participate in the left’s false mantra, urging them to “say gay”: