Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis raised $20 million in the first six weeks after he announced his run for president, his campaign said Thursday.
The formidable haul for DeSantis indicates a well of support despite a glitchy campaign launch on Twitter back in May. Still, polling shows he's in a distant second place for the 2024 Republican nomination behind former President Donald Trump.
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Trump's campaign said Wednesday he raised $35 million during the second quarter of the year, nearly double what he raised during the first three months of the year. The money was raised from April through June between his main campaign account and a joint fundraising account, which is used for expenses like paying his legal bills. Trump's fundraising has exploded since he was indicted in New York and Florida, and he faces additional investigations that could further juice his ability to raise money.
DeSantis has maintained a busy schedule of fundraising and campaigning in early primary states and beyond amid a deepening rivalry between him and Trump.
He sparked controversy last week with a video slamming Trump for his past support of gay and transgender people, which a prominent group of LGBT conservatives said “ ventured into homophobic territory.”
Never Back Down, a super PAC backing DeSantis, is separately raising money that will benefit the candidate. The group can’t legally work with DeSantis but is orchestrating much of the on-the-ground organizing that can be crucial to victory in early primary states.
Other Republican presidential contenders have not yet released their fundraising numbers for the period from April 1 through June 30. Candidates have until July 15 to submit their filings to the Federal Election Commission.