TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis has built a national political brand. Need proof? Just look at his political committee’s more than $4 million July haul.

DeSantis, who has not yet formally declared his 2022 reelection bid, last month brought in political contributions from every state in the country and several United States territories as well as from members of the military serving overseas, according to campaign finance records. DeSantis’ nearly 400-page July campaign finance report represents a massive expansion of DeSantis’ fundraising footprint, driven by his increased use of email to solicit contributions.

The recent support is fueled, in part, by DeSantis’ hands-off response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s become an issue the GOP governor has used in email fundraising pitches to conservatives across the country as Florida has becomes the national epicenter for the virus’ reemergence, including 134,506 new cases last week and near daily breaking of Covid-related hospitalization records.

His committee’s July report lists 18,201 individual contributions, a staggering amount for a state-level politician, that represent 63 percent of all contributions his committee has received since it opened in Jan. 2018. Overall, DeSantis’ committee brought in $4.3 million last month, and has more than $40 million in the bank — a sizable advantage over his Democratic challengers.

The haul speaks to DeSantis’ popularity nationwide, and positions him well if he chooses to run for president in 2024. He’s already held multiple fundraisers across the country and has made moves to raise his profile outside of Florida, including a recent visit to the U.S. border with Mexico in Texas.

[Read Full Article]