Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reportedly intends to raise money for President Trump in Florida and Texas.

The Associated Press reports that two people familiar with the matter, who chose to speak on the condition of anonymity, said DeSantis’ finance team is coordinating a schedule to include stops in the Sunshine and Lone Star states.

The Florida governor is calling donors, the report claims.

NBC News reported last month that DeSantis privately told donors he intended to raise funds for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

Ron DeSantis Privately Informs Donors He Will Raise Funds For Donald Trump, Report Says

From the Associated Press:

DeSantis is taking concrete steps toward a political reconciliation with Trump, who for months taunted his GOP opponent as “DeSanctimonious” as the Florida governor argued Trump’s time had come and gone. The developments also show DeSantis’ effort to offer among his most prized assets — his prolific fundraising network — in a gesture that could pay dividends if he runs for president again in 2028, when Trump would be ineligible to run if he wins this November due to constitutional term limits.

“He’s shown his commitment to the president and that’s why I say we’ll follow his lead, and why I think donors will follow his lead,” said Roy Bailey, a Dallas investor who was a co-chairman of DeSantis’ national finance committee during his presidential campaign, but was not among those to confirm the planning. “We will be focused on past DeSantis donors who have yet to donate to President Trump. We’re going to try to mine those donors for him. That will create a lot of value.”

DeSantis, viewed after his dominant reelection in 2022 as a potentially viable Trump rival, raised more than $183 million toward his ultimately unsuccessful Republican presidential primary campaign. The vast majority, more than $145 million, was raised for the super PAC Never Back Down, which could take unlimited sums. DeSantis also raised more than $200 million toward his 2022 Florida campaign.

“We are actively working on plans to fundraise in support of President Trump, as well as other Republicans up and down the ballot,” DeSantis spokesperson Taryn Fenske said in a text message to The Associated Press.

NBC News reported last month:

The person emphasized that DeSantis had pledged to support Republicans up and down the ballot — “including presidential” — when he dropped his bid for president in January.

DeSantis’ remarks come after he was effectively in a political war with Trump, both before and since the governor dropped out of the presidential primary race. It remains unclear if Trump and his team want DeSantis to help them, or have him as an ally, even though the governor did endorse Trump in January.

Many of the bundlers who heard from DeSantis at the Hard Rock will likely follow his lead and start trying to raise money for the former president, according to a fundraiser who was at the event.

“I would say the majority in the room would now be willing to help Trump,” a DeSantis bundler who was at the recent meeting said.

 

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