Ron DeSantis raised $8.2 million in the first 24 hours as a presidential candidate, his campaign said Thursday, despite his disastrous campaign lunch on Twitter.
The huge amount cements his position as former President Donald Trump’s main rival for the Republican nomination, far exceeding the amount raised by President Joe Biden during the same period.
DeSantis formally kicked off his campaign Wednesday night in a chaotic announcement as Florida governor joined Elon Musk on Twitter Spaces — the app’s live audio streaming feature.
But the stream was lagging and crashing repeatedly, making it difficult for most users to hear the announcement in real time.
However, it doesn’t appear this has slowed his campaign or dampened supporters’ enthusiasm, as they said donors had raised $1 million in just one hour.
Ron DeSantis officially kicked off his campaign Wednesday evening in a chaotic announcement via Twitter. The Governor of Florida speaks in Orlando on May 20, 2023
DeSantis’s stream was delayed and crashed repeatedly, making it difficult for most users to hear the announcement in real time
DeSantis kicked off his campaign with a chaotic announcement via Twitter as Florida Governor joined Elon Musk (pictured) on Spaces – the app’s live audio streaming feature
DeSantis’ early campaign funding also brings in President Biden, who managed to raise $6.3 million in his first 24 hours after initially announcing his 2019 candidacy, and the $6.1 million raised by the former Texan Congresswoman Beto O’Rourke.
This is also double the funding raised by Trump’s campaign in the same period following his criminal indictment in March earlier this year.
The $8.2 million in funding for the DeSantis campaign includes online contributions as well as donors who gave their money at the “Ron-O-Rama” campaign event in the grand ballroom at the Four Seasons, Miami.
It is unknown how many donors have contributed to the campaign so far.
The substantial total also does not include funding obtained by pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down. Funding from the super PAC can be transferred directly to DeSantis’ campaign. It is unknown how much money is in the super PAC.
The influx of funds will now fund a demanding political program as DeSantis flies across the country to raise his notoriety.
The Republican governor on Thursday announced plans for a three-state blitz next week with at least a dozen stops.
DeSantis will campaign in Iowa on Tuesday and Wednesday, before traveling to New Hampshire on Thursday and South Carolina on Friday.
In a short video posted to Twitter Wednesday after the announcement, DeSantis — with a straight face — joked that he had “broken the internet”
DeSantis is seen as Trump’s main competitor. Pictured: Trump shakes hands with DeSantis as Florida first lady Casey DeSantis watches on Oct. 31, 2018, Estero, Florida
“We’re focused on getting Governor DeSantis’ progressive message to restore America to every potential voter in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina,” campaign manager Generra Peck said.
“Our campaign is committed to freeing up time to win these early nominees. No one will work harder than Governor DeSantis to share his vision with the country – he’s only just started fighting.”
DeSantis casts himself as the only legitimate Republican rival in former President Donald Trump’s GOP primary, holding a large lead in early polls along with a firm grip on a significant portion of the GOP’s passionate base.
The news comes despite a chaotic start to his campaign via Twitter.
Florida’s governor brushed off the chaotic start in a follow-up video after the Twitter event, saying he “broken the internet.”
Though the delivery was a joke and seemed to downplay the confused announcement, DeSantis didn’t smile — though he did manage to grimace briefly as he finished his speech.
DeSantis poses with his family, Florida first lady Casey DeSantis and their three children, Madison, 5, Mason, 4, and Mamie, 2
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announces he is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in this screenshot of a social media video posted May 24, 2023
Speaking with Musk, DeSantis praised his track record on COVID, took veiled lashes at Donald Trump and pledged to undo “everything” President Biden did at the border.
He also attacked Disney, the NAACP travel ban to Florida and the GOP’s “culture of losing” in a campaign launched with Elon Musk plagued by glitches on Twitter Spaces.
The highly anticipated start to its 2024 White House run started 26 minutes late and crashed multiple times as hundreds of thousands of users tuned in to listen in on DeSantis’ conversation with Twitter’s CEO.
“I am running for President of the United States to lead our great American comeback,” DeSantis said. “But we know that our country is moving in the wrong direction. We see it with our own eyes. And we feel it in our bones.’