In a recent interview with Reuters, hotel entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, the largest individual donor to the pro-Ron DeSantis “Never Back Down” super PAC, announced that he will refrain from donating more money unless the Florida governor attracts new major donors and adopts a more moderate approach.
Bigelow’s comments highlight growing concerns among donors about DeSantis’ struggling campaign, which has been unable to gain traction against former President Donald Trump’s commanding lead for the 2024 Republican nomination.
“He does need to shift to get to moderates. He’ll lose if he doesn’t … Extremism isn’t going to get you elected,” Bigelow said, expressing his concerns to DeSantis’ campaign.
When questioned about specific policies he disagreed with, Bigelow pointed to DeSantis signing a bill in April that banned abortions after six weeks, a move that came after Bigelow’s $20 million donation to the campaign.
Bigelow asserted that he will not contribute more funds until DeSantis demonstrates the ability to generate more financial support independently. He expressed that many of the current donors are still undecided, and he himself already accounts for a significant portion of contributions.
The founder of Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace clarified that he wasn’t looking for an exact figure, but the governor’s campaign would need to show substantial fundraising progress.
In response to Bigelow’s comments, the DeSantis campaign’s spokesperson, Bryan Griffin, expressed gratitude to all supporters and donors, acknowledging their role in providing the campaign with the capacity to compete for the long haul.
Bigelow’s remarks are likely to fuel the perception that DeSantis, once considered a formidable opponent to Trump, is facing difficulties due to his right-wing social policies and perceived lack of charisma in exciting voters.
Despite some Republican strategists suggesting that DeSantis should appeal to moderates concerned about Trump’s policies and electability, the governor has continued to align himself with the right-wing ideology. A source familiar with DeSantis’ strategy stressed that donors do not dictate policy decisions for the governor.
Despite DeSantis attracting prominent donors who seek an alternative to Trump, Robert Bigelow remains a standout contributor. Following him, venture capitalist Douglas Leone comes in as the second-largest individual donor to the super PAC, contributing $2 million—only a fraction of Bigelow’s contribution.
In recent weeks, DeSantis’ campaign finances have come under scrutiny after letting go of 38 employees, representing over a third of the staff. The campaign’s high cash burn rate and heavy reliance on donors who have already contributed the maximum legal amount suggest potential financial challenges ahead.
Despite the financial scrutiny, DeSantis’ campaign and “Never Back Down” jointly possessed $109 million by the end of June, surpassing the combined $53 million of Trump’s campaign and his allied super PAC, known as MAGA Inc, according to Federal Elections Commission financial disclosures.
As DeSantis’ campaign faces difficulties, it has increasingly relied on the “Never Back Down” super PAC, which can raise and spend unlimited funds to support the governor, provided there is no coordination with the campaign.
Despite his reservations about the abortion bill, Bigelow acknowledged that he agreed with most of DeSantis’ policies and commended him for his stance against “wokeism.”
Since his Twitter launch in May, DeSantis has faced difficulties in gaining voter support, with organizational issues, viral videos showing awkward interactions with voters, and constant attacks by Trump contributing to his challenges.
According to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, DeSantis’ support among Republicans has declined to 13%, with Trump commanding 47% of support.
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One Response
You see how it works? – with all the ענוה – but I told you so…
These donors first give and give and pump you up, and sometime later they start expecting you to follow them and start changing. DeSantis doesn’t even know how swamped he is…