The war chests for the 2024 Republican candidates: Trump has massive $37.5 million cash to spend, DeSantis’ fundraising slows as he splurges $1.5 million on private jets, while Pence has just $1.2 million in the bank

Donald Trump has raised far more money than his Republican rivals in the past three months after using his prison mugshot to boost donations.

The Republican front-runner raked in $24.5 million as small donors responded to his litany of legal troubles by pouring money into his campaign.

It means he now has a war chest of $37.5 million — about as much as all the other Republican candidates combined.

The huge cash advantage will allow him to flood the airwaves with ads in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first states to vote in next year’s race, as he tries to eliminate his opponents early.

Former President Donald Trump speaks in Adel, Iowa, after it emerged he has raised more money than his Republican rivals

Trump on stage in Iowa

South Caolina Senator Tim Scott has the second largest amount of cash to spend at $13.3 million.

Ron DeSantis, Trump’s closest rival in the polls, has $12.3 million in the bank, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has $11.6 million and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy $4.2 million.

The latest figures from the Federal Election Commission show that DeSantis raised $11.2 million between July and September, but spent almost the entire amount.

That included spending $1.5 million on private jet rentals.

Most of the flights, made on six private jet companies, were between Florida and Iowa, where he is increasingly focusing his campaign.

DeSantis has curtailed spending, using just $1.3 million in September, down from $6 million in July.

He has scaled back campaign staff and moved about a third of his remaining people to Iowa.

Ron DeSantis’ campaign spent $1.5 million on private jets

Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey SeSantis in Pella, Iowa, the state where he is increasingly focusing his campaign

Over the three-month period, Trump raised about the same amount as Joe Biden.

His take was $7 million higher than what he had collected in the previous three months.

More than $2 million — most of it in donations of less than $50 — flowed into Trump’s campaign within 24 hours of his mugshot being released on August 24.

The mugshot was taken in a Georgia prison as he was charged with alleged crimes, which he denies, stemming from his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

His campaign consisted of placing the mugshot on t-shirts and coffee cups to raise money.

Trump’s mugshot has proven to be an effective way to raise money by selling t-shirts

Nikki Haley has seen an increase in donations lately

David Kochel, a Republican strategist, said, “That’s his superpower. The more these accusers chase him, the more he says, ‘We’re in this together and I’m being attacked.'”

Over the past three months, Trump has spent just $9.5 million, less than DeSantis.

He has stated that DeSantis “will soon run out of money.”

Haley saw her donations increase in the wake of the two recent Republican debates.

Tim Scott still has a lot of money in the bank

Vivek Ramaswamy has $4.2 million to spend

The $11.6 million she has to spend is more than $7 million more than at the end of June.

She said her campaign has received money from 40,000 new donors in the past three months.

Her spokeswoman said: “We have seen a big wave of support and have real momentum. Nikki is emerging as the candidate who can move America beyond the chaos and drama of the past and present, and we have the tools we need to do that.”

Meanwhile, Mike Pence reported only $1.2 million in available funds and has $620,000 in debt to pay.