...By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is said to be considering a run for the presidency in 2024, and one of his main strengths is his ability to attract huge sums of capital from wealthy donors.
However, he will need to do more than just raise money as recent elections have shown that success also depends on grassroots campaigning.
DeSantis must therefore engage with millionaire donors and appear at fundraisers to ensure the success of his potential campaign.
While he has raised $110 million so far, his success in Florida does not guarantee a win on the national stage.
Furthermore, DeSantis has kept donors at arm’s length while touring the country, and most of his cash is tied up in a Florida political action committee, which cannot be used outside the state.
DeSantis will also need to develop his political skills to make the transition from being a state governor to a presidential candidate.
His recent remarks on Ukraine have caused concern among Republican supporters, and his poll numbers have suffered as a result, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll showing that Trump’s support is almost three times that of DeSantis.
Trump has repeatedly taunted DeSantis, painting him as a puppet of wealthy Republican elites.
Such attacks bring home the political reality that no matter how much money DeSantis has, he will still have to overcome the enthusiasm among supporters that the former president still holds.
Although DeSantis has raised an impressive nine-figure sum, big-dollar fundraising does not always translate into victory, as exemplified by the experiences of former Gov.
Scott Walker of Wisconsin and former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida.
Donors and strategists, therefore, warn that DeSantis will need to do more than raise money.
He will need to display an ability to navigate a grassroots fundraising environment that still shows considerable support for former President Donald Trump.
The Republican candidate will also need to galvanize support among groups that still show considerable support for Trump.
DeSantis’s poll numbers have slumped against Trump in recent weeks, and he has yet to officially announce any White House bid, so he will need to make a decision before Trump runs away with the GOP nomination for a third time.
