Ron DeSantis forced to pull out of a $25,0000-a-head fundraiser for Lee Zeldin

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis pulled out of a $25,000-a-plate fundraiser for New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin on Sunday because of an ‘unforeseen tragedy’, according to reports.

Zeldin spokeswoman Katie Vincentz told the New York Post: ‘An unforeseen tragedy forced Governor DeSantis to reschedule his trip to New York. While we’re rescheduling with Governor DeSantis for a later date, tonight’s fundraiser will proceed and is expected to raise almost a million dollars’.

She did not elaborate on the details ahead of the event in Oyster Bay on Long Island.

DailyMail.com has reached out to both Zeldin’s and DeSantis’ offices for comment.

The Post later reported that DeSantis missed out on the Sunday night fundraiser so he could attend a Monday funeral for Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent Jose Perez, who was killed recently while responding to a call. 

DeSantis’ wife, Casey DeSantis, wrote on Twitter Monday that ‘we mourn the tragic loss of FDLE Special Agent Jose Perez, who died in the line of duty.’

‘With over 20 years in the U.S. armed forces & more than 30 years in law enforcement, he lived a valiant life serving our nation & state,’ she said. 

Zeldin, who is currently in the House of Representatives, is taking on New York’s incumbent Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul in the November general election and has the backing of Donald Trump.

His campaign made headlines last month when a man walked on stage during one of Zeldin’s events with supporters and tried to stab him. Zeldin was unhurt and his attacker was arrested.

Hochul, meanwhile, has upped her attacks on Republicans and told some to ‘go back to Florida’.

She also attacked DeSantis at an event marking the Holocaust by saying: ‘I just want to say to the 1.77 million Jews who call New York home: Thank you for calling New York home. Don’t go anywhere or to another state. Florida is overrated.’

New York is one of the Democrat states actively protecting abortion rights ahead of the crucial midterms. 

Zeldin is a House Republican who is running to unseat Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul

DeSantis learned last week he would be facing Democratic House Rep. Charlie Crist in November.

Voters last week chose Crist, who was a registered Republican when he previously served one term as Florida governor more than a decade ago, over the state’s progressive and outspoken Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.

Crist has blasted DeSantis as a ‘wannabe dictator’ and an ‘extremist,’ and on election night told supporters that the governor ‘only cares about the White House. He doesn’t care about your house.’ 

The Republican who has quickly become one of the stars of his party is being heavily touted to run for president in 2024. 

He’s side-stepped questions on his White House ambitions in the past, and in recent interviews he has insisted his focus is on beating Crist later this year.

But that hasn’t stopped DeSantis from wielding his considerable influence in primary elections across the country in recent months. 

He recently finished headlining a series of rallies, called ‘Unite and Win’ and held by Turning Point Action, on behalf of GOP candidates in several key swing states.

That includes appearances in Arizona with gubernatorial hopeful Kari Lake and Senate candidate Blake Masters; stumping for JD Vance’s Senate campaign in Ohio; speaking alongside Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano; and campaigning for GOP candidates in New Mexico.

In his own race against Crist, DeSantis is going in with a significantly bigger war chest. 

DeSantis’ re-election campaign has raised more than $172 million – an impressive haul even for a national candidate, let alone a state contender.

Crist, by comparison, has brought in just over $24 million.